


In The Blood

by Mrs_Pepperpot



Category: Dracula - Bram Stoker, Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Gothic, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-07
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-03-10 21:05:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 62,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3303419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mrs_Pepperpot/pseuds/Mrs_Pepperpot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah Williams cannot rid herself of the Goblin King, and her friend, Billie is being stalked by an evil creature bearing an old grudge. Crumbling kingdoms and their monarchs can be restored and revived. Death doesn't have to be forever, not when one is immortal. The blood is the life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Every Breath You Take

_There was a storm during the night. I got woken by thunder claps so loud they made the glass panes in my window shake. For some reason, it had taken me hours to fall asleep. I recall glancing at my alarm clock around 2 a.m. and a loud rumbling sound woke me exactly one hour later. It could have been the oppressive heat that prevented me from getting to sleep in the first place. The air was thick and suffocating as it always is before a summer storm. I watched the rain pouring down my window illuminated by the blue cracks of lightning. Maybe I owed my restlessness to the storm and the memory of another one long past. Then again, perhaps it was Irene's so-called Chili that kept me up so late; she did go overboard with the_ _jalapeño_ s _and cumin. I had to drink at least six glasses of water before bed, and my throat still felt like it was on fire hours later. My stomach didn't feel too good, either. But maybe I'm just looking for excuses because I don't want to believe the reason I couldn't sleep was due to 'him'._

_I have seen the owl again; yesterday evening, on my way home from the library. I decided on impulse to walk through the park, and there it stood on the stone obelisk near where I used to do my play-acting. It watched me pass before taking flight; it swooped down low so close to my head, I swear I felt the tips of its wing feathers brushing over my hair. I ran the rest of the way home and the owl followed. I could feel its eyes on me as it soared in the sky above. When I got in, I checked the second poplar tree, the one next to my bedroom window where I've often seen it perched, (I asked dad to get that tree cut down but he wouldn't do it). The owl sat there staring in at me for what felt like hours before flying away. Thankfully, my feathery tormentor wasn't there when I looked outside before bed. But I did get a strange feeling that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, as if I was being observed from afar by some unseen thing. I've often felt that way, ever since I returned from the Labyrinth. I know he can see me somehow, even when he's not around in his owl form._

Sarah Williams sat cross-legged on her bed scribbling away in her journal. She had started keeping one eight years ago, after her mother left, as a way of keeping note of all the little day to day happenings she wanted to remember. Her mom missed out on so much of her life and they hardly ever got to spend any quality time together, she wanted to be able to tell her about some of the things she wasn't around to see. It also served as a useful means of unburdening herself of thoughts no one else could be trusted with. Only one other person knew all her secrets and she lived thousands of miles away, letters and the occasional phone call their only means of communication. But soon, all that would change. Sarah set her journal down on the bed in favour of the latest correspondence from her pen pal. She must have read and re-read it twenty times, at least. However, her buzz of anticipation sharply changed into an unexpected shudder, the type people describe as someone walking over your grave. Thankfully, the sensation swiftly passed and she returned to her reading.

_Dearest Sarah,_

_I'm so excited to be finally meeting you in the flesh; I can hardly sit still long enough to write this letter. My (not-so-wicked) stepmother is growing quite weary of my endless preparations. I find I have to keep getting up from my desk and calling out to her to add something else to the shopping list for your visit. Please, do not concern yourself that I'm going overboard or to unnecessary expense because my father can afford it. Just think, this time next week, we will be able to speak in person. I know we've chatted before on the telephone but it isn't quite the same, as I'm sure you'll agree. I have so much to tell you, things that are perhaps best saved until we can talk face to face. I know you'll understand my reluctance to put such tales down on paper, and my fear, especially after my last letter got "lost" in the post. Anyway, I haven't seen any sign of "old red eyes" for a while but I'm taking nothing for granted._

_I've thought again about how fortunate we were to find each other as I'm sure anyone else would think me quite insane, and vice versa, I dare say. Fate somehow brought us together, and for that, I'll be forever grateful…_

Sarah always looked forward to receiving a letter from her English pen pal, Billie. Over the last three years, they had corresponded regularly having found each other via an advertisement in a magazine. Their interests and family circumstances were spookily similar. Billie also had a stepmother, her own mother having died from a brain aneurism when she was eight, and a younger stepbrother. It didn't take them long to discover they had much more in common than they could ever have guessed. When Sarah's often-absent mother offered to pay for her to go to London as a combined eighteenth birthday and High School graduation present, she jumped at the chance. Billie invited Sarah to stay with her and her family and she eagerly accepted. The date of her departure had been marked on the calendar with a big red circle and she counted the days with mounting excitement. She half packed her suitcase more than a fortnight in advance, although Irene warned her not to put anything in that would crease until the last minute. Sarah had been on much better terms with her stepmother since her encounter with the Goblin King. Both accepted they were never going to be bosom companions, but at least they weren't at each other's throats all the time.

The fresh morning air after the stormy night blew a cool breeze through her window. Sarah pulled a blanket around her shoulders to keep the chill out. _Could that be an owl hooting?_ She scowled, cocking her head as she listened intently. _Weren't they only supposed come out at night?_ This one didn't.

"I know who you are," she glowered, catching sight of the bird in the poplar tree. "Why are you still haunting me?"

Sarah pulled her window shut with more force than was necessary making the glass pane rattle. The owl blinked and tilted its head as it watched her every movement. She drew the curtains to block its view and returned to her bed to finish reading Billie's letter.

"Why can't I go to London?" Toby whined from the backseat of the car.

Sarah loved her little brother to pieces, but he could be a spoilt brat on occasion.

"I wanna go," he pouted.

His sister tried to placate him before it escalated into a full-blown tantrum. "Hey, I promise I'll bring back some cool presents for you."

Irene rolled her eyes at her son's complaining. "Toby, don't forget we're going on vacation too. Sarah gets three weeks in London, but we get to visit Grandma Alice in Florida," she reminded him.

The boy frowned even harder. "Grandma Alice smells like boiled cabbage and she gives me hard candies covered in pocket lint," he grouched.

Sarah and her stepmother were forced to stifle their giggles.

Irene kept her eyes studiously on the road ahead as she spoke, "It's a shame your father had to work today. I know he would have liked to come with us to the airport."

Robert Williams always had an excuse to keep away from any situations that might involve females and their emotions. At breakfast, he did tell his daughter he'd miss her and gave her an envelope stuffed full of spending cash, so she decided to overlook his fatherly inadequacies on this occasion.

"You're to call us the minute you get there and let us know you've arrived safely, okay?" Irene couldn't help worrying.

Sarah smiled and nodded, she could hardly believe that in less than eight hours she would be in London. Her mother and stepfather took her to Paris for three days in Jeremy's private jet when she turned sixteen. That had been a treat, but this was better. To have three weeks' vacation in another country and in a place she'd always dreamed of visiting, no less. Not to mention, finally getting to meet the person she regarded as her best friend in the whole world, despite the fact that they'd never actually met. The letters they'd shared over the last three years contained stories she'd never told another living soul. Billie understood and believed in Sarah's fantastical adventures because she'd had a few of her own. Both of them had caught the eye of mythical creatures and were being haunted by them.

She fidgeted unconsciously with the silver crucifix around her neck.

"You're not worried about the flight or anything, are you?" Irene questioned, noting her unease. "I should have got you a St. Christopher's medal, he's the patron saint of travellers after all, but you were the one who insisted on the cross," she fretted.

Sarah let out a weary sigh, "I'm fine, please don't fuss."

They continued in awkward silence for a while until Toby resumed his whining. "I still don't know why I can't go to London."

* * *

_Dearest Moppet,_

_I know you're all grown up now and will be cursing me for using that old nickname. But I am your mother, and you'll always be my little girl. Anyway, I just wanted to scribble a quick note to let you know I'm thinking of you and hope you'll enjoy London as much as I always do. I am sorry that Jeremy and I could never make time in our schedules so we could be the ones to take you. But you will have much more fun discovering the delights of that great capital city with someone of your own age, I'm sure. And perhaps a handsome Englishman will sweep you off your feet, just as Jeremy swept me off mine._

_Have you finished the book I sent you yet? I know you said you'd read it before, I just couldn't resist getting you a copy when you told me about your pen pal. I'm sure her famous namesake must be the reason why she prefers to be known as Billie. However, so many people are ignorant of classic literature these days, one should never assume anything._

_I apologise for the brevity of this letter. I did intend to call you before you left for London but it's been so hectic here. Indeed, I can hear Jeremy calling for me now as I write. He has been completely consumed with casting and rehearsals for our latest play. You know how passionate he gets about these things, and rightly so. If we don't take it seriously, we are doing our audience a great disservice. As Jeremy always says, it isn't life or death, it's much more important than that._

_Please do try and see A Midsummer Night's Dream in the West End, I can get you tickets. One of my protégés is playing Titania, although I'm sure her performance won't be a patch of my celebrated run in that role. Have a wonderful time, Moppet. I shall expect a postcard from you, at the very least._

_All my love,_

_Mom._

Sarah folded the letter and slipped it back inside the book she'd been reading to pass the flight time. It wasn't the one her mother had gifted her; she knew that story by heart, almost as well as she knew The Labyrinth. Her old battered copy of that playbook had been packed securely in her hand luggage. Loath as she was to bring it with her, the idea of leaving it behind made her even more uneasy. Better to keep it close and away from Toby, she'd reasoned.

* * *

The airport heaved with hot bodies buzzing to and fro, all of them desperately trying to locate where they needed to be. Sarah felt a rush of excitement, along with a sliver of apprehension, as she scanned the crowd for a sign bearing her name. Her eyes fell upon a familiar face, having seen some photographs of her friend, she knew without reading the card that she'd found the right person. Billie frantically waved at her, practically jigging around with anticipation.

"Sarah, I can't believe you're really here," she grinned.

Hesitant at first, they hugged. When they drew back and their eyes met, both of them burst out laughing.

"It's so good to see you, Billie," Sarah said wiping away a tear.

"None of that, we're all stiff upper lips and repressed emotions here, don't you know?" Her friend teased, although she too got choked up at being face to face at last.

With their long, dark chocolate coloured hair and pale skin, they could have passed for sisters. Sarah had a slight height advantage; there wasn't much between them, though. Billie had rich brown eyes in contrast to her sage green ones, but they were no less captivating.

After navigating their way through the car park, her friend's red Mini Cooper soon groaned under the weight of Sarah's luggage.

"This is me travelling light," she jested.

As it was almost midsummer, the sun still shone like day despite the lateness of the hour. Both women started to grow increasingly anxious about the advancing nightfall. Exchanging a worried look, they got into the car and made sure the doors were locked before driving away.

"I'm certain I heard the wolf howling again the other evening," Billie confided.

"Did you see it?" Sarah's eyes were wide with horror.

"No, but I could sense it was out there, watching me." Her friend grimaced at the memory.

"Exactly like the owl. It's there almost every night and sometimes during the day. It just sits there staring at me for hours on end, not that I want it to do anything else, but I do wonder what it's waiting for," Sarah mused.

"He has no power over you, right? I don't think the other he-who-shall-not-be-named has any power over me, either. My family haven't been troubled by him since he tried to turn my great-great-grandmother. Maybe it's just the women he's interested in. He's waited a long time for a female descendant of Mina Harker, and I look just like her too. My parents even named me after her. Talk about tempting fate." Billie heaved out a puff of exasperation. "I don't know what's keeping me safe, beyond my extensive crucifix collection and penchant for garlic, but he's never been able to touch me," she explained keeping her eyes on the road.

At that moment, a dark shape flitted past the car windshield and she swerved sharply, almost colliding with traffic in the opposite lane. It could have been a bird, but the light was dimming and they only caught a fleeting glimpse.

"What the heck was that?" Billie gasped.

Sarah peered out of the side window, desperately searching for the culprit. She half expected to see a familiar owl. There was no sign of it in the surrounding area, although she felt sure something was out there. The sensation that unseen eyes were watching their every move was overwhelming, and an icy shiver travelled down their spines. Not wishing to delay any further, they continued their journey into the heart of London. The bustling streets and vibrant city life gave them hope of protection from their darkest fears. There is safety in numbers, at least so the saying goes.

"Are you still having _those_ dreams? I am, and they're getting worse. I think he's trying to make me call out for him," Sarah shuddered, wanting to believe it was revulsion she felt and fearing it wasn't.

Billie nodded sympathetically. "But they're only dreams, aren't they? I mean, if they could do the stuff they do to us in our sleep when we're awake, they wouldn't need all the theatrics. I don't believe they can actually touch us," she reassured her friend.

"Whether they can touch us or not, they're never gonna leave us alone," Sarah wearily sighed.

"That's what I wanted to tell you in my last letter; I think I might have found someone who can help us with our respective problems," Billie said her brown eyes shining bright with hope. "I tracked down the great-grandson of Professor Abraham Van Helsing. He's agreed to meet with us tomorrow at the Natural History Museum."


	2. Virgin State Of Mind

"Wait a minute, I've read that book like a gazillion times and I could have sworn Van Helsing's only daughter died during childhood. How could he have a great grandson?" Sarah questioned as they made their way to the Natural History Museum.

Billie locked arms with her as they strolled along. "I did some digging, and it turns out we didn't know the full story. It's true that Van Helsing's first wife went crazy from grief after their daughter died and wound up in an insane asylum. He was a staunch Catholic and refused to completely abandon or divorce her. But during the years he spent in England, her health deteriorated and she died in 1897, a few years after my great-great-grandfather was born. Van Helsing struck up a friendship with a widow and her teenage son, whom he'd lodged with during his stay in London. A short time later, they married and, despite him having turned sixty and her being well into her forties, she bore him a daughter. Anne Van Helsing married a man called Harold Kemp in 1937 and two years later they had a son, Joseph. He, in turn, married Helena Davis in 1962 and they had a son in 1963. And voila, we have the guy we're about to meet, Jude Kemp, the great-grandson of Professor Abraham Van Helsing," she explained.

The pair of them had stayed up late into the night talking about Count Dracula and Jareth, the Goblin King, never once daring to speak their names aloud. Eventually, exhaustion overtook them and they'd retired to their beds. Billie and her family lived in a spacious three-story Georgian detached house. The girls thought it would be fun to share a room even though they had a spare. It was as if they had known each other all their lives, despite having only just met in person. Both were plagued by nightmares and hoped they'd find each other's presence a comfort. It appeared to work, as either from sheer exhaustion or being in good company, neither suffered bad dreams that night.

As they neared the museum, Sarah began to feel uneasy about what might happen next. "I get how great-grandson-of-Van-Helsing might know something to help with your problem, but what does he know about Goblin Kings?" She wasn't sure when it came down to it if she actually wanted to completely expel Jareth from her life. When he visited her in her dreams, he was all heated passion and sensual delights. Part of her craved that and craved him.

Billie sensed her resistance. "Sarah, he wants you to want him, you know that, right? He is trying to tempt you, to make you summon him so he can get a hold on you. Please, don't let him," she begged.

She knew her friend spoke the truth but it didn't quell her longing. In a show of bravado, she pushed aside her doubts and refocused on the task at hand. "How hard can it be to get rid of a vampire and a whatever-the-heck the Goblin King is?"

"Too right, we'll show them and we'll kick their lily-white arses all the way back to hell," Billie declared with a grin.

The Natural History Museum with its Victorian Gothic arches loomed in front of them and they crossed the busy street to reach the entrance. Jude Kemp worked there, specialising in zoology. He also maintained an interest in his great-grandfather's work. The two young women went up the steps and inside the building to where the Diplodocus stood guard, and they looked around for their guy. There were a few likely candidates among the small crowd, academic studious types who looked like they could be descended from a great professor. Just as they were about to approach one such character, a shouted greeting from somewhere behind caused them to halt in their tracks.

"Wilhelmina Harker and Sarah Williams?" A deep male voice inquired.

Both of them turned around to find a young man smiling back at them. He looked to be around six foot tall with youthful features, unruly collar length auburn hair and bright blue eyes framed by round glasses. His outfit reminded them of Tom Baker's incarnation of Doctor Who with his long brown coat and multi-coloured jumper in place of a scarf. It wasn't exactly hot for late June, but the cool weather hardly required such excessively warm clothing.

Billie stepped forward to make the introductions. "Jude Kemp, I presume, pleased to meet you."

The three of them shook hands and he led them to his small cluttered office inside the museum. As they passed under tall ceiling arches with mischievous-looking terracotta monkeys climbing up them, Sarah couldn't help but be reminded of the goblins.

Their host invited them to take a seat as he fumbled with the straps on his satchel. "I've been searching through my great-grandfather's old journals and reference books to try and find something that could help you both," he said, producing a battered looking red leather bound tome from his bag. "The Professor devoted much of his later years to researching vampires and associated folklore."

Sarah almost gasped as it looked so like her copy of The Labyrinth.

"This journal was written ten years after the publication of Bram Stoker's Dracula. My great grandfather had grown very bitter about it because he assumed the book would be presented as a factual account of events. The people involved, including your great-great-grandparents, Billie, all agreed to the initial publication without name changes to alert the public to the real danger of vampires in their midst. None of them realised it would be embellished and that unauthorised changes would be made to the original documents. Instead, Stoker's novel was celebrated as a work of fiction and became a classic horror story. The surviving parties decided not to take action, as it had become clear by that point it would only lead to ridicule and notoriety for all the wrong reasons." Jude began leafing through the book in his hands until he found the right page. "Ah, yes, here it is," he said sitting on his small desk and holding the journal out so the two girls could see as he read the passage aloud. " _For years, I believed my greatest folly to be agreeing to the publication of that wretched book. Would that it were my greatest offence, as I now fear something infinitely worse has overtaken it. Distressed as I was to hear of the desecration of a number of graves in Highgate Cemetery, it was nothing to the horror I felt upon learning that the final resting place of my dear departed friend, and the most gallant of man, Mr Quincey Morris, had been disturbed._

_At first, it appeared to be nothing more than a random act of vandalism, as unfortunately, these things do occur. It was only when I received a report from an acquaintance in Transylvania, regarding strange activity around Dracula's old castle that my fears begin to mount. Upon closer investigation, I discovered that when the tomb of Mr Quincey Morris was disturbed, his Bowie knife, which he used to inflict the decisive blow upon the Count and which had subsequently been buried with him, had been stolen. Furthermore, the unmarked grave in which the casket containing Dracula's ashes had been laid to rest fell under suspicion of being tampered with. My Transylvanian acquaintance, Father Grigore, did inform me in his correspondence that the earth appeared to have been disturbed. He did personally undertake to determine if the casket was still interred there, and he reported it was. But I could never be easy in my mind that some kind of substitution had not taken place._

_Father Grigore did write to me on one last occasion before his death in 1905. He reported hearing of strange rituals taking place in the forest surrounding the Count's castle. The gipsies who once aided Dracula were suspected of dwelling there, and they were rumoured to practice the dark arts. Father Grigore's congregation spoke of their fears regarding reputed virgin sacrifices and wild orgies amongst the trees. Many villagers reported seeing a dreadful spectre with glowing red eyes stalking them. I did attempt to catalogue these sightings. But alas, as I've been in uncertain health, I could not undertake to travel to Transylvania. There was scant solid evidence to support the presence of a vampire, as no actual victims were ever found. However, in such a remote rural location, one can never be sure that all missing persons are a matter of record._

_It is my belief that an attempt was made to resurrect Count Dracula. I further believe that some vital ingredient was lacking in the process, which led him to be brought back in a weaker state than had hitherto been the case. I did immediately write to warn the Harker's to be on their guard, and likewise all those still living who'd ever had any dealings with the Count."_ Jude closed the journal and returned it to his satchel. His two companions had been sat in rapt attention and they gazed at him expectantly. "I'm afraid that's all I've found so far. But it does at least give some explanation as to how Dracula could still be around, albeit in a weakened or non-corporeal form." He removed his glasses in order to wipe the lenses. "Of course, the possibility does arise that you, Billie, are somehow the missing vital ingredient needed to complete his resurrection," Jude spoke in a matter-of-fact kind of way, which belied the true horror of his words.

The young woman before him didn't take it anywhere near as calmly. "Oh my God, and he wants to what, drink my virgin blood?" Billie blushed crimson upon realising what she'd just admitted to out loud.

Her friend already knew as she too held the same status. But to confess such a thing to a near-stranger left her mortified. Sarah embraced her, knowing the mix of emotions she felt and sharing her overwhelming fear.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to cause you undue alarm, but it is something we must consider." Jude kept an open mind in regard to his great-grandfather's ideas, although he was much more comfortable with scientific certainties. He remained willing to entertain the possibility that vampires existed, but he required solid evidence to become a true believer. Otherwise, all he had to draw upon was folklore and second-hand reports. "I'll keep looking, and I have a friend at the British Library who is attempting to track down a couple of rare books for me on Transylvania that my great-grandfather mentioned in his notes." Jude sought to offer what reassurance he could, which wasn't much.

Billie nodded gratefully, at least she'd found someone who might be able to help her which was more than she had, and it gave her hope.

"What about the Goblin King?" Sarah inquired. "Did you find anything out about him?" The nagging doubt lingered in her mind as to whether she wanted to banish him, but she'd come this far.

Jude rummaged around in his bag and brought out a weighty black leather bound book.

"Going on the brief description Billie gave me; I'm inclined to think your fellow is fae. My great-grandfather uncovered many similarities between vampires and faeries in certain folktales. I couldn't find anything mentioning the Goblin King specifically, but Irish folklore tales tell of the Tuatha Dé Danann, which were beings once regarded as gods and goddesses. These creatures were reputedly extremely attractive as you can see." He opened the book on an illustration of a prepossessing Fae High King who bore a striking resemblance to Jareth.

Sarah's gawked in shock as she examined the image on the page.

"Wow," Billie exclaimed, having heard her friend's description of the Goblin King many times. But as neither of them was particularly gifted in the art of drawing, they'd had no likeness to gaze upon until now.

"It does kinda look like him, except for the eyes," Sarah frowned. "The Goblin King had one blue eye and one that appeared almost black." She could never forget how his gaze burned into her, she saw it often enough in her dreams.

Jude could offer no explanation for that, nor could he come up with anything that might expel him, except for the old wife's tales of using cold iron and certain herbs like St. John's Wort. He had compiled a list of dos and don'ts for both of them, in the event that they should come face to face with their respective nightmares. "In a few days, it will be Midsummer and if this creature is fae you should be especially on your guard," he warned Sarah. "It's said that the veil between worlds is thinner at such times and faery magic is at its most potent. You say he has no power over you. Therefore, you should be safe, so long as you abide by the rules I put on your list. But beware, because the fae can be tricky, although they reputedly cannot lie. Whatever his motivation for stalking you, I believe he needs to regain some kind of hold over you before he can proceed."

"I think he either wants revenge because I bested him or he wants..." Sarah blushed unable to bring herself to speak of such things out loud. In her dreams, the Goblin King was her lover, leading her on a voyage of discovery through a sexual encyclopaedia of pleasure. It wasn't just about the physical; he knew her body and soul. Her fear came from not knowing where it would lead to in reality, or what his ultimate intentions were.

"Don't worry, I won't let him get his creepy faery hands on you," Billie vowed.

Jude offered to escort them back to the museum entrance. "That friend of mine at the British Library has so far been unable to locate a copy of The Labyrinth playbook. In fact, she'd never heard of it. She did promise to keep trying to track one down so we can compare it to your version, which does seem uncannily tailored to your own personal circumstances. Hopefully, she'll have it by the time the other books I'm waiting for are ready." He promised to call if he found anything else that could help them. He walked them past the human evolution exhibits. "For everything science has revealed to us, there's just as much that we don't yet know," he mused.

As they paused briefly at the statue of Charles Darwin, Billie smirked. "What would he have said about vampires and fae, I wonder?" She started to realise she found Jude attractive. There was warmth in his sapphire blue eyes and she found his geeky appearance endearing.

He smiled back at her, not unaffected by her beauty but keenly aware of her being eight years his junior. "Darwin had no time for superstition, but his theory was built on transmutation, which is the idea that one species can transform into another. Who's to say that all these creatures we define as being supernatural didn't evolve in such a way?"

Jude apologised for not being able to spare the time to take them on a proper tour. He was due to start his shift at work and so they said their farewells. Billie had progressed to openly flirting with him, which earned her a surreptitious dig in the ribs with a sharp elbow from her friend. He departed after warning them about the full moon, which was due the next night. Full moons were reputedly connected to an increase in supernatural activity, meaning they should be extra careful.

As they watched Jude walk back in the direction of his office and out of earshot, Sarah rounded on her companion. "What the heck was that all that about?" She questioned. "Here I was, thinking we were trying to find a way of keeping our respective demons at bay, and there you were, batting your eyelashes so hard at Mr Science Guy, I nearly got blown away by the updraft."

"You didn't think he was attractive?" Billie asked as she'd really felt some chemistry with him.

"I guess he's just not my type," Sarah shrugged.

Her friend rolled her eyes. "I saw your type in that book, and I'm starting to think you're as hung up on Mr-blond-spiky-haired-weird-eyed-faery guy as he is on you," Billie chided, her tone a mix of annoyance and concern.

Sarah wanted to tell her to stop being ridiculous. But, in truth, her words stung. "If only there was some way of finding out what he wants from me," she said mulling over what Jude had told her. "It's almost Midsummer's Day, and if he does come looking for me maybe I should just try talking to him."

Her friend's wide-eyed look of alarm told her she was being crazy without the need for her to say anything.

Billie linked arms with her as they walked out onto the street. "Let's go and find somewhere to get some dinner because I am absolutely famished. And then, I'll reel off my list to you about why talking to the Goblin King is a very bad idea."

"Oh, can we find a quaint English pub? The bars here serve alcohol to eighteen-year-olds, right?" Feeling in a rebellious mood, Sarah gave a sly grin.

Her friend chuckled. "Miss Williams, I do believe you are a bad influence."


	3. Dance With The Devil

It isn't unheard of for two teenage girls to have a bit too much to drink and forget the time. After leaving the museum, they'd found an old pub called The Prospect of Whitby and Billie insisted they go inside. The name of the establishment made Sarah uneasy and she feared they were tempting fate. But a few drinks later, she began to relax. The pair of them settled in a quiet alcove with some decent food and a bottle of wine. Neither were seasoned drinkers, limited as they had been to illicit shots from their parents' liquor cabinets and cheap bottles of booze passed around at parties. There remained a hint of the forbidden as they blanched at the taste, not knowing or caring if they'd chosen a good vintage. The hours flew by as they talked about anything and everything.

"Part of me wonders if we shouldn't just find ourselves a couple of nice looking chaps and, what's the American terminology for it? Oh, yes, get laid," Billie smirked.

Sarah's mouth dropped open with shock and then she started giggling. The three glasses of wine she'd sunk had gone straight to her head, but the gravity of the situation sobered her. "I don't want my first time to be with some random guy, I want it to mean more than that. I want the…"

"Fairytale?" Billie cut in, with an accusatory glare.

Sarah pooh-poohed her, but in her mind's eye, she pictured Jareth asking her to fear him, love him, and the rest. "Is it really so bad to want the fairy tale? I mean not with _him,_ obviously, but there's gotta be someone out there worth waiting for," she argued.

"I was thinking about calling Jude for non-vampire or fae related purposes," Billie blushed and drained her wine glass.

Her experience of the opposite sex had been limited because despite being pretty, boys often dismissed her as being aloof. Also, being stalked by an undead creature didn't exactly do wonders for a person's social life.

"If you like him, you should, only 'old red eyes' probably won't appreciate it," Sarah cautioned.

"I refuse to live my life in fear always looking over my shoulder. If he's going to strike then let him get on with it, I can't fight a shadow." Billie's frustration spilt out along with the wine in her glass. She grabbed a napkin in a futile attempt to mop up the red liquid before it splashed onto her beige trousers.

"Oh, that's just fantastic," she huffed frantically dabbing at her stained lap as her friend helplessly looked on. Both of them chose to ignore the symbolism.

"White wine and baking soda will get that right out," Sarah said, recalling one of her stepmother's tips for removing fabric stains. Then again, maybe it was white vinegar and lemon juice, she mused. Her head felt fuzzy from the alcohol and she'd let herself get distracted. Anxiety gripped her as she caught sight of the old-fashioned brass clock above the bar; somehow they'd failed to notice the lateness of the hour. Jude had cautioned them that Vampires and fae could be active during daylight hours, although sunlight was said to weaken the former, there was something about the night that made it an ideal domain for those who preferred to dwell in the shadows. Also, with the full moon imminent, they needed to be extra careful.

"Maybe we should call it a day, it'll be getting dark out soon," Sarah suggested a hint of panic in her voice.

Billie nodded in agreement, and after a quick visit to the ladies, they headed out to hail a taxi. The near-full moon was already visible in the dimming sky and the streetlights had begun flickering to life. Every cab that passed by seemed to already be occupied, and so they wandered further through the labyrinthine streets in search of a vacant one. As neither of them was familiar with that part of the city, they kept making wrong turns and circling back to where they'd started from. The cool night air soon cleared their heads of any lingering effects from the alcohol. As they hurried along, their eyes darted with suspicion to every dark alleyway and stairwell. It sounded as though they had a dog at their heels at one point. Both of them heard what sounded like clawed feet scratching against the pavement as if something had caught their scent and was in hot pursuit. But when they turned to look, no creature could be seen. It left them unnerved, and heightened their awareness of their vulnerability, despite the presence of plenty of other people on the streets.

Their luck changed as they rounded a corner and chanced upon a vacant black taxi cab. It sat waiting with the engine running, presumably having just dropped off its previous occupant. Relief flooded over them as they jumped into the back seat. The driver, an ebony-haired man in his late thirties with pale skin and numerous tattoos, wore a distinctive upside down silver crucifix earring in his left ear. One tattoo in particular on the side of his neck drew Sarah's attention. It looked like a serpent of some kind with its tail looped around its own head. The cabbie offered them good natured banter and seemed friendly enough. On a couple of occasions, Sarah caught him glancing over at Billie in the rear-view mirror when he thought no one was paying attention. It made her anxious and desperate to say something about it to her friend, who appeared oblivious to any danger. However, the journey back to Greenwich passed without incident, and so she began to wonder if she'd merely imagined his interest.

"You didn't notice anything odd about that driver?" Sarah questioned as the taxi pulled away.

Billie shrugged, "Nope, I thought he was quite normal for a London cabbie," she jested.

The moon shone brightly above them and the chill in the air made them shiver. Unseen fiery eyes without a face or a body watched them from afar. If it had possessed lips, it would have smiled, knowing its long wait was almost at an end.

"Let's get inside, I have something I need to show you," Billie waved to her dad who was peering out from the second story window.

Her room was on the third floor. Shouting greetings to her father, stepmother and stepbrother, they raced up the staircase. Billie pulled an old, carved wooden trunk from under her bed and dusted off the top with her sleeve. Producing a bunch of keys from her jacket pocket, she selected a small brass one. It required a bit of jiggling getting the old lock to cooperate, but it eventually clicked open. Inside, there were a collection of keepsakes, books, jewellery, and what looked to be a lock of dark brown hair tied up with a white ribbon.

"These things belonged to my great-great-grandmother," Billie explained as she reached into the truck and with reverence, plucked out a faded green leather bound book. "This is the journal Mina kept during the time of her involvement with you-know-who," she said, carefully turning to the page containing the passage she wished to read out.

Sarah regarded it with great interest, feeling thrilled and honoured to be in the presence of items which once belonged to the original Wilhelmina Harker.

Billie glanced over at her friend with a concerned frown. "Look, I know you're drawn to the Goblin King, and I get it, really I do. But I think Mina can explain, far better than I, the dangers of surrendering to that particular temptation." The extract she'd chosen dated from a few months after Dracula was thought to have been vanquished.

" _I have endeavoured not to dwell too long or too often on those terrible events now past. But I do find on rare occasions when I am in want of an occupation, my mind does tend to wander back to times gone by. I remember my dear sweet friend Lucy, and Quincey Morris, that honourable and brave soul to whom we owe so much, and I offer up a prayer for them both. I am keenly aware I have much to be thankful for, not least, my dearest Jonathan. We recently discovered that we are to be blessed with an addition to our little family, and the joy we feel is beyond measure. Yet for all our happiness, a dark shadow has cast its pall over me and I cannot seem to shake it off._

_I am overcome with so many emotions when I think of how the Count violated my body and almost succeeded in leading my soul into eternal damnation. After escaping Lucy's cruel fate, it does not seem reasonable that I should feel weighted with a burden of guilt due to events I had no control over. And yet, I am heavy with it. For a shameful secret lies in the deepest recess of my heart, and it is one I dare not speak aloud. Reluctant as I am to make any concession to it, my hope is that by unburdening myself in my journal, I might find some small measure of relief. Before I continue, I must first declare that I love my dear husband with all my heart. If not for Jonathan and his unwavering devotion to me in the face of dark despair, I wouldn't have found the courage within to gaze into the very pit of hell. Eventually, our love triumphed over evil and I was able to return to him with my soul intact. But my confession must be made or I fear I shall never completely rid myself of the foul taint which infected me, and I will remain unclean in thought if not in deed._

_My encounter with that terrible creature known as Count Dracula was nothing short of monstrous. However, amidst the horror was a thrill like none I have ever known before or since. In that dreadful moment when his sharp teeth penetrated my flesh, I experienced a sort of rapture, not unlike the kind one might experience in a lover's embrace. I was overcome, not only from the loss of blood but with ecstasy. Dracula hungered for me; he wanted to devour me, body and soul. Sickened and disgusted as I felt to have the Count descend upon me as my dear husband slept at my side, there was some traitorous part of myself that wanted to surrender to his corruption. As I drank the creature's blood, I could hear mine start to sing in my veins. The illicit passions that swelled with the pounding of my heart sparked in me a desire to run wild._

_I can reason it all away now and make my peace with God, safe in the knowledge I was acting under the vampire's thrall. Professor Van Helsing said my thoughts and will were not solely under my command, and yet my mind still cannot rest easy. I knew enough to outwit the Count despite the determination with which he sought to make me his own. But if I could stay true to my aim in that regard, I must question how much of my will ever belonged to Dracula. All I can be sure of is that in my darkest dreams I called to him, and he did reply."_

Sarah's cheeks burned hot with shame as she thought of the Goblin King and his effect on her. Ever since her return from the Labyrinth, her nights were often filled with fantasies of him. Fear had long since been overtaken by longing, to the point where he could probably seduce her into going against her better judgement without much effort. Her lips trembled with emotion, "Your great-great-grandmother was lucky to have such a loving husband and others who cared so deeply for her, and I'm lucky to have you," Sarah hugged her friend. "Thank you for sharing that with me. I know I have to fight against the Goblin King and resist the urge to give into him, but it's not easy."

Billie nodded sympathetically. "We will keep each other strong and we'll find a way to rid ourselves of them forever," she vowed.

The mocking hoot of an owl went unheard as they chattered on late into the night. When, at last, sleep came, a nightmare came with it.

_Sarah ran barefoot, gasping to catch her breath. Her lungs were sore from the exertion. The walls came crashing down around her and the paving shattered beneath her feet. Everything was crumbling; the air thick with dust and decay. Fallen trees lay splintered on the ground, their desiccated roots erupting from the otherwise barren soil. Brown brittle grasses and leaves disintegrated into spores at the slightest disturbance. This wasn't right. It wasn't how it was supposed to be. Sarah dreamt of the Labyrinth almost every night, and it had never looked like this before. Something unseen and unspeakable drove her onwards. It wasn't a creature, she knew that much. She got the notion death itself had her in its sights, swallowing everything in her wake and snapping at her heels._

_The Goblin King's castle, or what remained of it, loomed into view. The proud peaks which once stood tall were in the process of tumbling down; it looked like a rotten jagged tooth pulled from a Giant's mouth. The magic that had surrounded the broken pieces of the Escher room, keeping them suspended in mid-air, was gone. All of it bled away until only decaying ruins remained. Sarah waded through the rubble with dawning horror as the path she picked out crunched beneath her bloodied feet, strewn as it was with bones, horns, and empty skulls with gaping eye sockets. Red flowers sprang from the ground where droplets of her blood fell; the only living things, apart from her, in a place no better than a tomb. His throne still stood among the debris. The horned back had been broken and only fragments of it remained._

_A sickening screech filled the air. Sarah turned to find the owl, almost completely white and sickly looking, perched on the remnants of a window sill. Her mouth dry from dust and fear, she realised it was no dream, even if she was still in her bed. The owl fluttered down towards her, stray feathers making a snowy trail behind it. In the blink of an eye, the Goblin King had taken his place upon his throne, his past magnificence now faded along with his kingdom. He had the appearance of a cadaver, painfully thin, pale and dressed in tattered rags. His once golden hair now white and his skin bore a sickly grey pallor. The odd eyes that had haunted her dreams were dull and sunken. Barely any hint of his past allure remained and it made Sarah's heartache._

_"You have reduced me to this. Do you see where your stubbornness leads?" he rasped his voice as weakened as the rest of him. "If you do not call upon me soon, I will be too frail to answer." His bony fingers, protruding from worn white leather gloves, clutched at the remnants of his throne. He pulled himself up as proudly as his feeble frame would allow. "It isn't too late, not yet. All can still be set right again but you must speak my name." His milky gaze bore into her, "You don't want what's left of your friends to rot away to nothing, do you?"_

_"I-I don't understand," Sarah stuttered keeping her distance and remembering Mina's journal and Billie's warning. The earth beneath her feet began to crack, like ice on a frozen pond. She panicked as it crumbled away forcing her to step closer to him in search of solid ground. Fearing she would fall into the abyss, she had to make a desperate grab for the throne. "What do you want from me?" She cried out in terror as his skeletal hand gripped her arm._

_"I want you, Sarah," he spat his eyes glowing with the prospect of restoration. "Call for me, speak my name, and give me back what you took from me."_

_His hold on her was bruising as she tried to wriggle free._

_"What did I take?" She shrieked realising he was the only thing preventing her from falling into the dark abyss that had opened up around his throne._

_The Goblin King smiled in a nasty splintered way that threatened to crack his delicate features. "I know you haven't forgotten. Go on, say it, Ja-reth," he coaxed, teasing out both syllables of his name._

_Sarah could focus on nothing but the possibility of plunging to her death. If she wasn't dreaming, did it mean she might actually die? She didn't want to find out. "No," she cried as he began to relax his hold on her. The throne crumbled as she grasped for it and his tattered cape unravelled to threads in her hand. She had nothing left to hang onto._

_"You will call," Jareth vowed. "You know what I can offer you; what we can be together. All I need is one thing from you. It is a mere trifle, really. Just make sure you don't leave it too late," he warned._

_Sarah felt herself begin to drop, her eyes wide with terror. She tried to scream but no sound would come. The darkness swallowed her, and still, she kept on falling._

Her mouth was frozen open in silent horror when she woke up uninjured, but not unscarred.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please do leave a comment, and Kudos, if you are moved to do so, many thanks - Mrs P.


	4. The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get

Sarah had every intention of cramming in as much sightseeing as possible during her stay in London. She didn't want to waste a single second dwelling on her nightmare, even if shaking off the lingering feeling of dread wasn't an easy task. Greenwich had much to offer, and Billie was in her element showing her friend around. The morning and early afternoon, they spent visiting the Cutty Sark and The National Maritime Museum followed by a picnic in the park. After finding a reasonably quiet, picturesque and shaded spot with an amazing view out over the city, they set about enjoying the veritable feast Billie's stepmother had prepared for them. Despite the magnificence of her surroundings, Sarah's thoughts were elsewhere. Her mind had been drawn back to the time measuring instruments they'd seen in the museum. Clocks always made her think of the Goblin King, even regular twelve-hour ones.

"Earth to Sarah," Billie waved her hand in front of her friend's eyes in a bid to regain her attention.

"I'm so sorry," Sarah blushed embarrassed to be caught dwelling on Jareth again, especially after her nightmare and her friend's warning the previous night. She sighed in frustration, "It's just, in some ways I feel like I'm still running and trying to beat the clock. I got my brother back but it didn't feel like the chase was over. And that's because it wasn't, and it isn't."

The breeze seemed to pick up around them, shaking the heavy branches of the trees with their lush summer foliage.

"That's because you keep dancing to the Goblin King's tune," Billie chided and then huffed in anger. "I've been as bad, letting that old creep dictate what I do with my life. I say no more self-imposed curfews. Let's go out tonight, full moon be damned. Didn't you say your mother could get tickets for us to see A Midsummer Night's Dream?" She inquired throwing the dare gauntlet down.

"Yes, mom knows the actress playing the Queen of The Fairies. I'm not sure it would be wise, though." Sarah fidgeted with the crucifix around her neck. She wanted to be rebellious but feared it would be foolish to invite danger.

Billie toyed with the cross at her own throat. "Do you have faith? I've always supposed that if evil exists, it is reasonable to assume its opposite does too," she mused. The death of her mother had made Billie want to believe in an afterlife; a place where they would one day be reunited. At the time, she'd been desperate to cling onto anything that meant her mother wasn't gone forever.

Sarah frowned in contemplation; she supposed she'd always accepted the possibility there might be a god. "Irene used to insist on us going to church on Sundays but we were never what you would call devout. I kinda liked the hymns, but I guess I never thought too deeply about the rest of it." If Goblin Kings from fairy stories turned out to be real then why not an all-powerful deity? Maybe there was hope of salvation.

Both were lost in their own thoughts as they packed the remains of their picnic away.

"We'll be going to university in a few months' time and we must conquer our fears before then," Billie declared bringing the lid of the hamper down with a decisive slam. "There has to be a way to be rid of them for good, like an exorcism or something."

"Let's see what turns up now Jude is on the case," Sarah said, reluctant to dabble in anything that might make their respective situations worse. If only she could call on Hoggle and her other friends from the Labyrinth, she wistfully mused. After the night she bested the Goblin King, they never appeared to her again. She'd tried calling them a few times over the years but had been left gazing at her own lonely reflection in the vanity mirror. If her recent nightmare really had come to pass, they were most likely dead and turning to dust. There was someone who'd come if she called him, but Sarah swore to herself she never would.

* * *

When they got back to Billie's house, they found it empty. Her father would still be at the office; he worked as a business lawyer in the city and never got home until late. Sarah's dad was much the same, although he worked in probate law. The blinking light on the answering machine caught their attention, and it turned out Jude Kemp had left them an urgent message.

" _There are incidents in life that make one wonder about the nature of coincidences; I experienced such an incident today. Whether by accident or design, I happened to stumble upon an article which may help with your particular problem, Billie. It concerns Doctor John Seward's granddaughter, who mysteriously disappeared when she was a child. No trace of her was ever found and no arrests were made. However, the speculation regarding her possible fate offers some helpful clues for us. Please call me back on my work number as soon as you can."_

Billie's excitement at hearing from him again soon got tempered by the information he delivered. The disappearance of Doctor Seward's granddaughter raised disturbing questions and the details of it were sure to bring further distress. But like Jude said, one had to wonder about the synchronicity of events with him stumbling across that particular story without looking for it. Billie managed to catch him in his office while he was finishing up his daily paperwork, and they arranged to meet in a cafe close to the Natural History Museum.

There wasn't any bad news in the world that couldn't be made better by a good cup of tea. Her late mother had always maintained it to be so but Billie wasn't so sure. It didn't soften the blow when her beloved mum died or help ease the subsequent pain of her loss. Still, she picked up the pot and dutifully poured out a steaming brew. "So, what's all this about then?" She questioned as she stirred three sugar lumps into her cup.

Momentarily entranced by her, Jude didn't reply. When her gaze met his, they both blushed and looked away. He proceeded to fumble with a stack of books he'd already placed on the table and almost succeeded in upsetting the milk jug. Sarah bit her lip to suppress a giggle over their awkward attempts to hide their mutual attraction.

Jude cleared his throat and began, "Alice Seward, the daughter of Doctor Seward's youngest son, was a month short of her sixteenth birthday when she went missing in the summer of 1966. The police reports said she set out to walk to her grandmother's house, which was less than a mile from her own home in Chipping Ongar, but she never arrived. In the newspaper article, it speculated about her falling victim to a satanic cult which was said to meet in various places around London, but most notably in nearby Epping Forest."

He placed the article on the table so his companions could read it for themselves.

_Stories of satanic rituals taking place in Epping Forest have persisted for years, despite a lack of solid evidence for their existence. One such cult, which was rumoured to gather near the Gypsy Smith memorial stone, was known as the Copii de Ördög; Copii de, meaning 'children of' in Romanian, and Ördög referring to a shape shifting demonic creature from Hungarian mythology. Local people claimed that missing children from the area were taken to the forest to be used as human sacrifices. One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she went to the police with evidence of these ritualistic killings, but no action was taken._

_Alice Seward, a fifteen-year-old girl from Chipping Ongar, went missing in June 1966. Her father Albert became aware of the rumours regarding satanic cult activity in Epping Forest. He gathered a search party of local volunteers when the police investigation failed to come up with any leads. Nothing was found, but Albert remained convinced the cult was somehow involved in his daughter's disappearance._

"I haven't had the chance to find any contact details for the Seward family yet, but my friend from the British Library called with the books I requested. I picked one up from the top of the pile and it chanced to fall open on a page with information about the _Copii de Ördög._ " Jude pulled out the book in question. "It looks like the cult is comprised mostly of Romani people. The founder members and their followers were originally scattered across Eastern Europe, and they were associated for generations with the darker factions of the Dracula family." He slid the book across the table. "Coincidental and curious, don't you think, that the newspaper I bought to accompany my morning commute should contain an article mentioning the very same _Copii de Ördög_?"

Billie leafed through what turned out to be an encyclopaedia of the Dracula family history. There was an illustration of the Count as a young man, striking in appearance with cruel eyes and flowing chestnut hair. He appeared exactly the same way in her dreams when he promised her life eternal, unbound by society, morality and other mortal concerns. The two of them could do what they wanted without restraint or remorse, he vowed. She wasn't even a little bit tempted. When in a benevolent mood, she pitied him because for all the harm he could inflict, he had an air of gloom about him. He possessed a sense of weariness at being pulled back into the world he had not been sorry to leave.

"I know you've told me before that your father doesn't believe the Dracula story and thinks it was all a fabrication, but maybe you should try talking to him again. Your family really need to be on the alert for anything out of the ordinary, like strange people lurking about or unusual activities. I would be happy to speak to them about all of this or back you up. I just want you to be safe." Jude's cheeks coloured slightly as he fumbled with the teapot in an attempt to cover his embarrassment. He had never been gifted when it came to flirting with women and knew this was neither the time nor place to attempt it.

Billie thought him adorable and reached over to cover his hand with her own. "Thank you, I appreciate your concern." She bit back a smirk as he sent the sugar bowl flying in his nervous state. Her father had been brought up to be a practical man; someone who put his faith in numbers, not old stories. Quincey Harker, her great-grandfather, survived the horrors of the trenches during the First World War. After that, no tale of an evil vampire could compete with the atrocities he'd seen man commit against his fellow man. His son, George, Billie's grandfather, had no desire to rake up the past. And David, her father, inherited the family heirlooms but had no particular interest in the Harker's history. The only concession he made to came when he chose a name for his daughter.

Sarah had long since turned her attention to the pile of books on the table, desperate not to feel like the third wheel. She could see no copy of The Labyrinth or anything else relating to her predicament. Internally, she sighed, wishing she had her own personal expert on the Goblin King at her beck and call. Jude seemed to be a nice and genuine guy, but his knowledge and interest were obviously directed elsewhere.

"My friend hasn't had any luck in locating a copy of your play," he said as if reading her mind. "It's the damnedest thing, really, almost as if it's an urban legend. People down the ages have spoken about The Labyrinth, but other than the one you have, there doesn't seem to be another book of its kind in existence. Please, tell me again how it came to be in your possession?"

"I received it as a present for my fifteenth birthday," Sarah recalled. "I assumed my mom sent it because, although there was no card, it was just the kind of thing she would get for me. When I asked her about the book, she couldn't remember buying it. The cover was already worn like it was an old first edition or something." The way it suddenly appeared in her life did seem odd now that she thought about it.

Jude contemplatively tapped at his glasses, "Maybe yours is the only one," he pondered aloud. "You solved the Labyrinth and won your brother back, right?"

Sarah nodded.

"Perhaps the book is a kind of trophy for your victory. When you declared the Goblin King had no power over you, maybe that also meant he had no power to take it back," Jude speculated.

Now that he said it, it seemed an obvious conclusion and one she was ashamed not to have come up with herself. Of course, she'd wondered if she had been somehow specially selected. She'd even hoped for it to be the case because the book had appeared at a time when she'd felt abandoned. Her parents had been too wrapped up in their own lives and scarcely paid her any attention except to scold her or when they felt guilty, at least, that had been her perception. For someone to be interested in her, and a Goblin King no less felt immensely gratifying. Her stepmother had no inkling about her supernatural stalker but often warned her about the dangers of sexual predators. Irene cautioned that they often attempted to ingratiate themselves by making their potential victim feel special. Her lectures on the subject were plentiful, and Sarah had sense enough to recognise Jareth's methods fell into that category. Unfortunately, she kept remembering the sorrowful look in his eyes when she'd rejected him. If she could believe his proclamations were no more than trickery, it would have been so much easier to resist temptation. Her most recent dream suggested he needed something from her and would perish without it. All she had to do was call his name.

Jude offered to go back to Greenwich with them to speak to Billie's family. He lived in Catford, which was on the way, and requested they stop at his bedsit first to pick up a few things. "I had a rummage around last night and found something I'd like to give to you," he said holding the cafe door open for them as they exited. "My great-grandfather was a collector of curios and I happen to have a few of them in my possession. My parents found his weapon collection rather macabre and got rid of most of it. But they failed to appreciate that those instruments weren't amassed for pleasure or for show. All of them had a purpose, allegedly." His innate need to subject everything to scientific rigour meant he could never readily accept the unexplained without resistance, even when the weight of evidence became too heavy to ignore, as in this case.

Thankfully, they managed to avoid the rush hour traffic. Jude animatedly gave Billie directions to his place from the passenger seat. Sarah had volunteered to sit in the back of the compact car, knowing her friend would be grateful for the flirting opportunities. She hunkered down and attempted to hide her smirk. Before long, they arrived outside a Victorian period house which had been converted into bedsits. Jude began profusely apologising for his poor housekeeping skills before they even got a foot inside the door.

A black taxi cab can easily pass through the streets of London without arousing suspicion. No one would think they were purposely being followed. Billie, Sarah and Jude had certainly failed to notice the cab on their tail. It had overtaken them and pulled up on the street a short way ahead of them. When the passenger got out and casually strolled over to the recently parked red Mini Cooper, again, no one paid any attention. It wasn't the nicest of neighbourhoods and sometimes cars got vandalised or stolen.

Jude's bedsit was cramped and obviously the domain of a bachelor. It wasn't offensively dirty, though. Billie keenly scanned over the place for any signs of a girlfriend but could see nothing even remotely feminine lurking there. The shelves on the wall were packed with dusty old books and a few macabre looking animal parts pickled in jars. The girls exchanged a silent look of "yikes", as Jude went to retrieve the item he promised them. He reappeared holding a long, battered wooden knife box.

"Terrible work, that's what my great-grandfather called it," he grimaced recalling the gruesome details in Van Helsing's journal. "The business of dispatching vampires is not for the faint-hearted." He released the rusty clasp and opened the lid. Inside, there were two thin knives with blackened sharp-pointed blades. The handles were carved from bone and stained with age. "These were forged from iron blessed by a Catholic priest who was a good friend of my great-grandfather. Iron is a metal said to be harmful to both vampires and fae. I'm afraid I don't know enough about the Goblin King to be sure it would be effective against him, but it's worth a try. You should both have some means of defending yourselves if the need ever arises."

Jude closed the box and tucked it under his arm as they made their way down the rickety steps from his second-floor bedsit to the door. At first, they were too busy chatting to notice something was amiss. By the time they reached the spot where Billie's car should have been, its absence caused them to stare open-mouthed in bewilderment at the empty space.

"What the... I don't believe this," she cried her beloved brand new Mini Cooper, her eighteenth birthday present, was gone.

Jude apologised profusely as he lamented the crime rate in the area while Sarah hugged her friend to offer what comfort she could.

"Should we call the police?" She inquired unsure of what to do next.

"There's a pay phone inside," Jude offered as he turned to go back into the building.

Billie was too distraught and shocked to think clearly. As they stood on the street pondering their next move, a black taxi cab came around the corner and Sarah recognised the driver from the previous day.

"Fancy seeing you two again," the man smiled. "Do you need a ride somewhere?" He casually inquired.

His accent was hard to place. He had a definite Cockney twang, but he didn't sound born to it. Sarah couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't all he appeared to be. But Billie decided she wanted to go straight home and said she would report the theft of her car from there. Glum-faced and dispirited, the three of them piled into the back of the cab.

The dark-haired driver gave them a sympathetic smile as he released the handbrake, having heard their tale of woe. "Ain't it a sad state of affairs," he lamented. "You can't trust anybody these days."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to say at the start that the titles of each chapter are songs which I feel relate to the content in some way. The ones I've used so far are…
> 
> 1) Every Breath You Take by The Police
> 
> 2) Virgin State of Mind by K's Choice
> 
> 3) Dance With The Devil by Breaking Benjamin
> 
> 4) The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get by Morrissey
> 
> It's not essential to know these songs or anything. But, hopefully, it will add an extra dimension for those who do.
> 
> I couldn't find any on-line translation for the Romani Carpathian language, so I decided to just use Romanian. I apologise to any Romani speakers if this seems wrong or out of place, but it was my only option at the time.
> 
> I mentioned before that watching Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula inspired me to write this fanfic. However, it is the book I've drawn on for this story. The only thing I'm keeping in mind from the movie as I write this is Gary Oldman as the Count. It's up to you as the reader to picture him how you want. But I like the fact that David Bowie and Gary Oldman were friends in real life. Both of them appeared together in the music video for The Next Day.
> 
> Those waiting for Dracula and Jareth to finally appear... Patience is a virtue!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. Please do keep the feedback coming - Mrs P.


	5. The Killing Moon

Billie wasn't usually one to get upset over material possessions. However, she had been over the moon when her father and stepmother surprised her with a brand new, shiny red Mini Cooper for her eighteenth birthday. It had been her first car and now it was gone. Jude awkwardly attempted to comfort her as he'd sandwiched himself between the two girls. He offered to change seats so Billie could be close to her friend, but she clung to his arm to prevent him from moving. Sarah had her attention firmly on the road. With the route unfamiliar to her, she could only trust that they were heading in the right direction. But when the cabbie missed the turn for Greenwich, she could no longer silence her nagging suspicions.

"Shouldn't you have taken that exit we just passed?" She questioned as the road sign faded into the distance.

The cabbie broke into a cheery smile, "I know a shortcut," he winked.

Her two companions appeared unconcerned about him taking the scenic route. Billie, still sniffling, had her face buried in Jude's check cotton shirt while he fumbled for his handkerchief.

A bluebottle fly crawled across the glass partition separating the front and back of the cab, its shiny body glinting in the sunlight.

The next prominent road sign they passed caused Sarah fresh anxiety. Purfleet; she knew the name of that place from a book, and not just any book. "Stop the car," she demanded.

The urgent tone of her voice got the attention of her companions. Both of them sought out the source of her alarm as they became alerted to the danger.

"What is it?" Jude questioned as he fought not to let his jangling nerves get the better of him.

The cabbie ignored Sarah's outburst and, keeping one hand on the steering wheel, he reached into the glove compartment with the other.

"There's something wrong here," she insisted. "I think he's taking us to Purfleet." She pounded on the glass partition and yelled at the driver to bring the vehicle to a halt.

Her companions didn't know what to make of it all. Then Jude spotted the unusual tattoo on the driver's neck; the one Sarah had been drawn to the previous day. He knew that symbol, he'd seen it recently in one of the books he'd got from the British Library; it was the emblem of The Order of the Dragon. "You heard the lady," he addressed the driver in his most authoritative tone. "Stop this car at once."

The cabbie pulled into a layby as Billie and Sarah frantically jostled with the door handles in a bid to escape. He watched their struggles with smug satisfaction. "They're locked, and that's the way they're staying until I get you three to your destination," he snarled his cheery facade gone for good.

Wherever they were headed, it certainly wasn't to Greenwich.

Jude drew in a deep breath, his heart was hammering in his chest, and he glanced at the wooden box he'd set down at his feet. He glanced at the man in front of him and thought about making a grab for it.

"I wouldn't if I were you," the cabbie threatened, sensing the young man's intentions. He showed his hostages he had a gun tucked, holding it just high enough to avoid attention from passers-by. Sliding open the glass partition, he gestured for Jude to hand over the knives. "Keep quiet and do as I say and nobody has to get hurt." His dark eyes held them in a menacing glare and they already knew he was lying.

"Who are you?" Billie asked sure he must be one of the Count's minions. Instinctively, she reached up to cover her throat. The ease with which they'd fallen into his trap appalled her, leaving her feeling foolish and angry.

"Your tattoo," Jude pointed to the cabbie's neck, "it's the symbol of The Order of The Dragon. The Dracula family were members of that order."

"Yes, that is correct. It is one way I choose to honour my master by remembering his proud history. My name is Constantin, and throughout the generations, my family has been loyal to his. Tonight, the master will finally be made whole again, thanks to you." His eyes softened slightly as he gazed reverentially at Billie.

Feeling beyond terrified, her mouth fell open as she imagined all the potential horrible fates that awaited her.

Sarah kept quiet while her mind worked to come up with an escape plan. The Labyrinth really had been a piece of cake next to this, she thought with a wistful sigh. There was someone she could call upon for help, but it would come at a price. It would do none of them any good to evade the clutches of one evil fiend only to fall prey to another. Was Jareth really that bad? No serious harm had befallen her during her time in his kingdom. But that didn't mean he could be trusted or wasn't capable of being every bit as nefarious with his intentions as Dracula. The Goblin King had foretold her calling on him in a dream. However, it would be the last resort, she was sure of that much.

Jude tried bargaining with Constantin, even though he knew he was almost certainly wasting his time. His strong attraction to Billie wasn't something he intended to take any further. But, regardless of that, he couldn't bear the thought of any harm befalling her. Their captor wasn't the only one with pride in his family legacy. Abraham Van Helsing did not shrink away from danger, and neither would he.

"I told you, keep quiet and all this will be over soon enough," the cabbie hissed releasing the handbrake as he drove them towards their possible doom.

The three passengers exchanged silent looks of desperation as they hoped one of them would spot some potential way out. Constantin kept the gun next to him and one eye on them. It had been a bright and warm summer's day, but the skies were turning ominously grey. The wind started to pick up indicating a brewing storm. Sarah's thoughts went back to the Goblin King, and she wondered if he would somehow sense she needed his help. Maybe he would swoop in and save them without her having to make the decision to call upon him. She doubted it, but her imagination went into overdrive anyway.

"Are you taking us to Carfax?" Billie seriously contemplated taking her chances against the cabbie and his gun. It might not even be loaded for all they knew, and even if it was, the odds were probably more favourable against that than what awaited them at the end of their journey.

Constantin made no reply at first, but after they'd travelled for a while in silence, he began talking. "There have been three previous attempts to resurrect the master," he paused, noticing the bluebottle fly crawling across the inside of the windshield. His eyes followed it, intently and hungrily.

"Three attempts?" Jude asked in an effort to prompt him to explain further.

The other man remained entranced by the insect until, after a long moment, he shook his head and seemed to regain control of himself. "My grandfather was part of the first two attempts. He and others loyal to Count Dracula obtained the master's remains. The blood of three virgins proved insufficient to restore him, but they did manage to raise his soul. Another attempt was made to make him flesh, but that failed too. The First World War came and then, worse still for my people, the Second World War. My father got taken to a Nazi concentration camp along with many other Romani. He was fortunate enough to survive, but not all were as lucky. Many years passed, and the Copii de Ördög grew steadily in numbers. A cult member came across an ancient scroll in 1964 which decreed that the only way to raise a slain vampire was with the blood of the one who slew him. However, by that time, all the original conspirators against the master were dead. Quincey Morris had been unmarried and without children at the time of his death. Lord Godalming married but left no heirs. Doctor Seward had three sons, two of whom were deceased." He briefly took his eyes off the road and turned to Jude and Billie. "You two know your own family history," he sneered, his lips twisted into an ugly smile. "Anyway, the third attempt to raise the master also failed."

"You murdered Alice Seward to try and bring him back?" Sarah was horrified.

Constantin shook his head and a strange look passed over his features, one that might even have been remorse. "The ritual went wrong. She wasn't supposed to die," he muttered before falling silent and would answer no more.

As they approached the town of Purfleet, he began to grow visibly agitated. The fly, that had earlier captured his attention, now buzzed around his head in the front of the cab. He appeared to be fighting an internal battle between keeping his eyes on the road and following the insect's flight. The three occupants on the back seat were growing increasingly terrified. Billie had turned deathly pale and looked as if she might faint at any moment. Jude tried to keep his nerve and only the constant trembling of his legs gave him away. Sarah kept repeating one word over and over again in her head in an attempt to summon up the courage to say it out loud. Up ahead, they spied a dirt track which appeared to lead to some old dilapidated farm buildings. The going became rough and they bumped around on their seats as Constantin drove the cab into an open barn. A rickety wooden door closed behind them, trapping them in the dark. The fading light outside crept in through the many cracks in the stonework, but it wasn't enough to illuminate the gloom. Figures were lurking about in the shadows and a handful of them stepped closer to surround the cab. The sudden sound of a newspaper slamming against the dashboard make the three captives almost jump out of their skins. Constantin grinned as he picked up the remains of the splattered fly and popped it in his mouth. Billie retched, losing her stomach contents over the floor. Jude put his arm around her, not minding at all that his tan suede shoes were ruined.

"When you are instructed, you will get out of the cab one by one," Constantin instructed them as he waved his gun close to their faces.

He exited the vehicle to join his friends and as they huddled around to plot,

Sarah leant over to her companions to do likewise. "There is someone we can call on for help," she whispered.

Billie began frantically shaking her head and risking another bout of nausea.

"Are you crazy?" She questioned in a shrill whisper.

Sarah looked to Jude, hoping he would be the voice of reason.

"If life has taught me anything it's this; things are never so bad they that can't get even worse. I know what you're thinking, and I fear all you'd be doing is adding to our troubles," he warned.

"You don't know that for sure," she argued. "He is powerful; he can reorder time for goodness sake!"

"Even if he could help, what price would you have to pay?" Billie reached out to grasp her hand. "How can I let you save my soul at the cost of your own?"

Sarah started to protest that she alone had the right to make such a choice and they might all die if she didn't do it when the cab door on her side got flung open. Before she could say another word, strong arms hauled out of the car and someone stuck a piece of duct tape over her mouth. Two men held her still while another tightly bound her hands behind her back. Lanterns had been lit so the captives could see the cult members were armed. Jude and Billie were given the same treatment before they were led to a stack of smelly hay bales. The three hostages struggled to regulate their panicked breathing as the tape prevented them from taking air in through their mouths.

"Sit down," commanded a gruff swarthy man of around fifty, with greying hair and a beard.

His accent sounded Eastern European as did most of the others.

Sarah counted fourteen of them beside her two friends. All were men of varying age and physicality. The cult members fell silent and opened the barn door slightly so they could see outside. It seemed like they were waiting for something. Darkness had begun descending, and the storm that had threatened earlier appeared to be coming around for a second attempt. Black clouds sent barrelling across the sky by the strengthening wind, intermittently obscured the full moon. Two of the men ventured out beyond the barn entrance, only to reappear a short time later. The group chattered among themselves briefly before advancing on their captives.

"It is time," the older swarthy man announced.

Sarah, Billie and Jude were unceremoniously dragged to their feet and hustled outside. All three had a man at each arm forcing them onwards. Ahead of them, two men carried a large wooden box around the size of a child's coffin. The dilapidated farm buildings bordered a crumbling high stone wall, which had a gap big enough for them to pass through where a small section of it had collapsed. A path had been hacked through the undergrowth of what probably used to be the landscaped garden of a stately country home. The house was long gone, leaving only a fading scar where the foundations once stood. The three captives struggled and fought against their restraints, their cries of protest muffled beneath the tape that covered their mouths. For a second, Sarah thought she saw a flash of white feathers passing through the trees. A tiny spark of hope flickered in her heart that maybe the Goblin King would swoop in and save them after all. Surely he wouldn't let an evil fiend feast upon her, would he? When it came down to it, she didn't truly know what he was capable of and that was the problem. Perhaps he'd show up just so he could watch her die in revenge for her triumph over him.

After walking for a couple of minutes, they came to the rusted gates of a small cemetery where the family who once owned the land now rested. There were around a dozen graves and a few of the headstones had toppled over. In the centre stood a raised rectangular stone memorial which would serve as an altar. The men placed the wooden box on top of it and stepped back from the tomb. Around them, the air felt warm and stifling, even though the wind had begun to howl, and the two girls shivered with fear in their thin summer dresses. Lanterns were strategically placed around the graves to give them light when the dark clouds blotted out the full moon. The older swarthy man stepped forward and began reciting an incantation as Jude and Sarah were tied to the thick trunk of an old oak tree. Their attempts to break free were rendered futile by the tight binding of ropes around their arms and legs. The old man paused in his chanting and beckoned for Billie to be brought over to him. She refused to move, but a large Bowie knife was pressed to Jude's throat in an attempt to motivate her. Slowly, she shuffled towards the makeshift altar. Sarah caught another glimpse of white feathers. In desperation, she flexed her jaws to try and loosen the tape over her mouth. Pushing her tongue against her lips, she hoped the moisture would help to make it come unstuck. One of the men had stayed outside the cemetery to act as a lookout while the remaining twelve, including Constantin, formed a circle around their leader and the young woman. The cult members joined hands and began chanting. Pushing the lid off the wooden box to expose the dust and earth inside, the swarthy man held Billie next to it in a firm grasp.

_"Ceea ce a fost trup va fi făcut trup din nou._

_Ceea ce este strigoi nu poate muri."_

The sound of a bird hooting went unnoticed by the cult. Sarah frantically glanced around as far as her bindings would allow. The Goblin King was their only hope now. She could see no other way out. Jude sensed her intentions, but his muffled protests were drowned out by the cult's incantations. The tape over her mouth finally began to loosen as she spotted the barn owl in a nearby tree. It watched, ready to swoop at her word.

" _Sângele este viața,"_ the cult chanted as Constantin stepped forward with the Bowie knife.

Billie thrashed around but could not break free. Her hands were unbound and held over the wooden box.

" _Sângele este viața,"_ they continued to repeat.

The Barn owl made its move. Talons outstretched, it caught the edge of the tape over Sarah's mouth and ripped it clean off.

"JARETH," she screeched, "Please, help us."

Constantin pierced Billie's palms with the Bowie knife and her blood began to flow out of the small wounds. Thunder rumbled around them and lightning split the sky above.

Sarah locked eyes with the owl as it perched back on the branch of the old oak. "Jareth," she whimpered as she stole a glance in Billie's direction. Tears were streaming down her friend's face as she watched, helplessly. Her blood dripped into the open box as the cult members recited their lines with increasing fervour. A red glow began to radiate out of it, faint at first, the light quickly grew in intensity. The pink mist started to rise up from within and take form.

"Jareth, please," Sarah begged hating to sound so pathetic, but she was at her wit's end.

Lightning crackled in the air around them, temporarily blinding her. She blinked in a desperate attempt to regain her vision. The chanting ceased and silence fell. For a moment, all was deathly still, and then she heard a velvety voice next to her ear.

"Well, hello Sarah," every word an aural caress, "What can I do for you, my precious one?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ceea ce a fost trup va fi făcut trup din nou - What was flesh will be made flesh once again.
> 
> Ceea ce este strigoi nu poate muri - What is undead can never die.
> 
> Sângele este viața - The blood is the life.
> 
> I took the above Romanian translations from Google, so apologies if they aren't correct.
> 
> The title is taken from The Killing Moon by Echo and The Bunnymen.


	6. Loverman

Sarah could only stare dumbstruck at the sight of the smirking Goblin King before her. He appeared every bit as handsome and vital as when they first met. There were no signs of diminished power or decrepitude about him as in her recent nightmare. His presence remained as imposing and intimidating as she remembered. The armoured leather jacket he wore alongside a high collared cloak with shiny blue lining looked somehow familiar. It took her a moment to realise it was the same outfit from that night long ago when she'd wished her brother away. Jareth smirked amused by how mesmerising she found him. Noting her recognition of his clothing, he struck a dramatic pose. "What can I say, I was feeling nostalgic," he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. The breeze caught his golden hair, fanning it out wildly around his face. He wore it shorter these days but it looked every bit as untamed as before.

Expecting all hell to break loose, Sarah frowned in confusion at the stillness and silence surrounding her. As she glanced around, she saw the reason for it as everyone but her and Jareth had been suspended in time. The cult members were frozen in odd postures, their expressions displaying their state of near rapture. Billie looked terrified, her face contorted with fear, and droplets of blood from the wounds in her palms still hung in the air. Sarah couldn't see Jude, as he'd been bound to the other side of the tree, but he was as quiet and still as the rest. The pink mist that rose out of the box on the altar had been halted mid-transformation, its dreadful features almost fully formed. The silver moon shone down on the tableaux like a spotlight.

The Goblin King surveyed the scene and raised a sculpted eyebrow as he leant back nonchalantly against a tall headstone. "Well now, my dear, you do seem to have gotten yourself into quite a pickle," he mocked as if the matter was of little consequence to him, and then made a show of dusting some non-existent lint from his sleeve.

It was an understatement, to say the least, and Jareth's cocky demeanour coupled with his obvious enjoyment of her plight, caused Sarah's temper to flare. She knew he was probably the best chance she and her friends had of escaping with their lives, but that didn't stop her wanting to slap the grin off his smug face. "Do you even have the slightest idea what's going on here?" She raged, balling her fists and straining against her tight bindings in frustration.

"I've done nothing but pay attention to you for the past three years," he hissed his cool exterior cracking.

Sarah huffed with exasperation. "Why follow me around in your owl form and haunt my dreams for all that time?" She glowered. "Why not come and talk to me like a normal person?"

He let out a snort of derision, "I am a king, girl," he roared. "And your little victory in my kingdom prevented me from approaching you in any other way. Until you summoned me by my name, I remained bound by your final declaration at our last meeting."

She shivered in fear; his odd eyes blazed with anger, one as cold as ice and the other as black as pitch. Maybe calling on him had been a mistake, but it was too late to take the words back now. The Goblin King stalked towards her and his expression softened slightly. He cupped her chin in his black-leather-gloved hand, gently tilting her head until their gaze met. For a moment, Sarah thought he intended to kiss her and her apprehension turned to anticipation. She could feel her body responding to his touch as he trailed his fingers up and down her neck. His hot breath on her cheek as he moved in closer sent a thrill racing to her very core. There could seldom be a more inappropriate time for such yearnings, and yet she couldn't seem to help it. When they'd last met, she had still been a child in many ways. Now she'd grown into a young woman, craving the attentions of an extremely attractive man. Sarah closed her eyes in readiness, but the expected pressure on her lips never came. She opened her eyes again and found him staring at her, his smirk back in place.

"If you've only come here to humiliate me, you might as well put an end to your fancy magic trick and let Dracula do his worst," she spat her green eyes burning with fury despite the direness of her situation.

His gloved fingers trailed down her throat towards the swell of her bosom, "And what a fine feast you would make," he drawled his predatory gaze raking over her body. "You've filled out very nicely, my precious one."

Sarah wished she were free of her bindings. She wanted to kick him in his Crown Jewels, even as part of her wanted his hand to travel lower. But she couldn't afford to dwell on that. He sensed her desire and sought to stoke it further by tracing around the plunging neckline of her dress. She gulped mortified that his touch, and through leather gloves too, could undo her so readily. Clearing her throat, she managed to regain some mastery over her lustful feelings. "Are you gonna help us, or not?"

Jareth withdrew from her and made a show of giving the matter deep consideration as if he hadn't fantasised a thousand times about having her at his mercy. There were so many things he'd dreamed about doing to her, and with her. He paced around, seemingly lost in thought and acting like he had all the time in the world, which, she supposed, in a way, he did. He stopped circling and stood before her; his swagger emphasising the snug cut of his pants. "You realise, of course, that my assistance will come at a cost."

Sarah nodded; she'd expected no less.

"The question is you willing to pay it?" Jareth narrowed his eyes as he held her in his scrutinising glare.

"Why don't you tell me what it is you want?" She demanded determined to regain some of her former sass. Their previous encounter had taught her to stand her ground against him. Everything he offered came at a price. "All you have to do is try and make it something more appealing than having my throat ripped out by a vampire, and you might just have yourself a deal," Sarah said throwing down the gauntlet with all the bravado she could muster. If her time had come to die, she wanted to go out with a bang and not a whimper.

It was the Goblin King's turn to be aroused. This was the fiery minx who had dismissed his Labyrinth as a piece of cake and reduced the heart of his city to rubble. It couldn't have worked out better for him if he'd engineered the scenario himself. His nemesis stood before him bound and helpless, forced to strike a bargain with the one she'd rejected not so long ago. "Tell me what exactly you wish me to do and I shall tell you what I require in return for granting such a wish," Jareth instructed as he leant back against a tall headstone, crossing his arms as he awaited her response.

Sarah could tell she interested him enough not to let Dracula sink his fangs into her. But he'd also made it clear he wouldn't do anything for free. "Okay," she hesitated to get the wording as precise as possible. "I want you to get me and my two friends, Jude and Billie, out of here and safely back to her house in Greenwich. I also want all the things returned that have been taken from us which are Billie's car, and the box of knives that belonged to Jude's great-grandfather." She paused to make sure all the bases were covered and then realised she'd forgotten to ask the most important question of all. "Can you stop the ritual and prevent the Count from coming back?" There would be no place of safety for her friend or anyone else with him on the loose.

Jareth raised one of his pointed eyebrows, "You ask a great deal of me, and therefore, I shall demand much in return," he warned.

She gulped as his eyes roamed lasciviously over her body.

"The price for getting you and your friends out of here and returning your lost property to you is the restoration of my power over you," the Goblin King explained.

Sarah didn't like the sound of that one bit. Her victory against him had been hard won and she didn't want for it to be diminished in any way. Beguiling as he may be, she wouldn't have changed a thing.

"Simply say the words ' _you have power over me_ ' and it shall be done," he coaxed.

"But what will it mean for me?" She inquired, recalling his final entreaty to her in the ruins of the Escher room. "Will I have to go Underground with you and stay there?" It looked as if Billie had been right, Sarah would need to trade her soul to save her friend's.

Jareth shook his head; after all, this was the metaphorical cake not the cherry on the top. "It simply means I can reclaim what you took from my kingdom when you triumphed over me."

"Not Toby?" She panicked.

"No," his tone brittle, "I must reclaim the power to pass on the book you have in your possession so other children might be wished my way. Don't you understand - no one is supposed to win. You were the first, the only, and you took with you the lifeblood of my kingdom. Without the ability to send the right words out to those who would speak them, all is lost."

The truth began to dawn on her, she found herself in a stronger bargaining position than she'd realised. "How can I be sure that all I'll be handing back to you is the power that goes with the book?" She questioned, he asked for the trust he had not earned.

Jareth curled his lip visibly irked and he responded in a bitter tone. "Did I not return your brother to you when you solved my Labyrinth and recited your little speech? I'm many things but I'm not a liar."

_I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you._

Sarah felt ashamed as she recalled his words, even though she felt completely justified in her caution. "So, you'll have no claim over me, my brother, or my friends, is that right?" With a trickster, it proved necessary to check the small print.

The Goblin King scowled, "That is correct," he confirmed sauntering over to her once more. "However," he flirtatiously leant in, "I would no longer be barred from visiting you in person, day or night," he said emphasising the last part.

Loath as she was to admit it, what he insinuated wasn't entirely unappealing. Her vivid erotic dreams of him had left her with a hunger for more than a mere fantasy. She would never have been so bold as to wish for such a thing. But to have him within reach certainly made the temptation stronger. Sarah closed her eyes to refocus; she needed to keep her head because there were bigger things than her raging hormones at stake. "And what do you want in return for getting rid of Dracula?" She asked, shuddering at the sight of the wicked grin that instantly spread across his face. The price would be high, she had no doubt, and the cost heavy.

"You," he said.

"What do you mean?" Sarah had an idea from the lustful glint in his eyes but forced him to spell it out anyway.

"I know your dreams," he leered at her as she blushed furiously. "For one so young and inexperienced, you have quite an imagination." Jareth neglected to mention he'd added fuel to the fire. It had all been in pursuit of whetting her appetite and enticing her to call on him; his influence over her limited to whispering in her ear while she slept. There were many far less agreeable ways he could have gone about it. She could thank his generosity for choosing the most enjoyable option for her. The Goblin King no longer had to play by the rules of the Labyrinth. He could bargain with adult Sarah for things he would not have asked from a fifteen-year-old child. "The price for ridding you of one nasty vampire is as follows; you will be mine to do with as I please for as long as it pleases me. I have not yet taken a wife and, until I do, I require someone to warm my bed and keep me entertained in it." Jareth hid his desire for her under a mask of cold indifference.

Her mouth fell open, aghast at his proposition. "I, I thought…" she stuttered.

"What, that the King of the Goblins was in love with the girl?" He cut in sneering at her naivety. "Each recipient of the book interprets the story in their own way. You wanted to add a dash of romance to the tale and I was happy to oblige you." His arrogance knew no bounds. He had a mind to inform her of her good fortune in that her beauty and spirit captivated him. Otherwise, he would not be troubling himself to offer her anything.

Sarah was crestfallen; he wanted her as some sort of sex slave not as an equal, not as his queen. In her more innocent romantic fantasies, she'd imagined he'd been proposing marriage to her when he'd asked her to love him, fear him, and do as he said. Now, the truth had been painfully and humiliatingly exposed. It hurt her deeper than she expected. How could she ever contemplate paying such a price? It would destroy her in time, body and soul.

"Goblins are such tedious creatures, and Lord knows, I need the occasional distraction. You will learn what pleases me and be ready to satisfy my every whim whenever I should desire it," Jareth informed her as if what he'd suggested was nothing untoward.

He still needed the book back from her and the power that went along with it, she reasoned. Maybe her dream of him and his kingdom being reduced to dust would happen after all if she denied him. "What if I told you to go screw yourself?" She snarled. In her opinion, his demeaning offer deserved every ounce of venom she poured into her reply.

The stormy weather returned along with the Goblin King's bad temper. "Be careful, Sarah," he warned. "I am being more generous with you than you deserve. Your death would return the power you hold to its rightful place. I am offering you a choice because you asked for my help. Take one or both offers, or don't. But make your mind up swiftly, because I will not wait forever."

She had called for him and he'd given her options, just as she asked. He could let her die if he wanted. Glancing over at Billie and the evil creature being reborn into the world, she soon made her choice. Her victory in solving the Labyrinth and saving her brother would always stand. The rest wasn't important. "I'll take the first offer," Sarah said defiantly jutting out her chin. "I'll say the words you need me to say and then we are done. Don't bother coming back to where you're not wanted." Venting her ire ran the risk of him calling her bluff, she knew that, but she couldn't contain her contempt for his unsavoury suggestion. This way, Jude would get his knives back. He also had other weapons and knowledge. The three of them would find a way to get rid of Dracula, and Jareth would get the same treatment if he caused any trouble. Alluring as she found him, she could never prostitute herself to him. The thought of it sickened her. Learning to please a boyfriend or a husband in bed was one thing, what he'd proposed was something else altogether.

The Goblin King pursed his lips as he contemplated her decision. He reached out his hand as if to touch her face, and then drew it back at the last second before making contact. "Such a pity," he sighed. "We could have had so much fun together." With a twirl of his wrist, he held a crystal ball aloft. "Say the words," he commanded.

Sarah took a deep breath; she had no reason to trust he'd uphold his end of the bargain. But he had kept his word before when it counted. Even so, it felt like a leap of faith. She closed her eyes, held onto hope and jumped. "You have power over me." The words tumbled out and with them, the world started spinning again.

In the blink of an eye, she found herself in the back of Billie's car with Jude in the passenger seat and her friend at the wheel. As requested, they were safely parked outside the Harker residence in Greenwich.

"What the hell just happened?" Her two companions echoed in unison as soon as they regained the ability to speak.

Both of them looked to Sarah for answers. She could only shrug, grateful that they were all still in one piece.

Billie noted with surprise that the wounds on her hand were closed and almost entirely healed. Her surprise soon turned to horror when she realised what must have occurred to make it so. "Oh no, what have you done? Please tell me you didn't make a deal with the Goblin King."

"I'm still here, aren't I?" Sarah replied in a sharp tone. "And so are you."

After everything they'd just been through, her nerves were shredded. If she hadn't called on Jareth, they'd probably all be dead by now and a bit of gratitude for saving their bacon wouldn't have gone amiss.

"What did you have to give him?" Billie's only concern was for her friend.

Sarah let out a weary sigh, "Nothing I wasn't willing to part with."

It would be a relief not to have to see that book again, she assured herself. All it had ever done was remind her of things best forgotten. The Goblin King had got his power back and she had the freedom to move on with her life. There wasn't any reason for him to haunt her now. He'd once offered her dreams and then snatched them away, he could keep them. If her heart felt hollow at the prospect of never seeing him again, then she was a fool. Jareth wasn't the hero who would give her the happily ever after in a fairy story, he was a nightmare. All he'd ever given her were stupid fantasies. It was time to let him go.

Sarah looked up from her musing to find Jude and Billie locked in a passionate embrace; their relief at escaping with their lives apparently getting the better of them. "Oh brother," she muttered to herself. It had been one hell of a night, and it wasn't over yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Miss Blakeney, gj and catherinegrace91 for your kind comments.
> 
> The title of this chapter is from Loverman by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Please do check it out, if you're not familiar with it. I listened to it on a loop while I was writing, and it pretty much sums up the whole story, not just this chapter.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who is taking the time to read this, please do leave a review - Mrs P.


	7. Devil In Me

Billie rubbed at the painful pressure points on her temples. The colour had drained from her face and she had dark shadows under her eyes. Her headache, which came on soon after her return home, began to worsen. Her father had been furious at being awoken after midnight to be warned about Count Dracula's return. He and her stepmother Julia greeted the news with open incredulity, wondering if she and her friends had been drinking. Jude did his best to convince them the very real danger, but Billie's father couldn't help being more concerned about the young man's intentions towards his daughter. Sarah felt awkward and out of place in the midst of a family quarrel. Her bruising encounter with the Goblin King had left her in a quiet and contemplative mood. Their intention of calling the police to investigate the old Carfax estate in Purfleet soon got put on hold. What could they say that wouldn't make them sound crazy, certainly not the truth. Who would believe they were abducted by Romanian gipsies in order to resurrect a legendary vampire and were saved from probable death by a faery King? At best, the police would treat it as a crank call, at worst; they might be sectioned under the mental health act or charged with time wasting. Nothing could be done without a lead to follow or until they were in possession of some solid evidence. After failing to settle on a viable plan of action, they wearily trooped to bed at almost two in the morning.

Despite her father's protestations that he should go home, Billie showed Jude to the guest bedroom. He could see how afraid she was and assured her they would be safe now as Dracula could not enter the house without an invitation. Reluctant to linger in the doorway lest her father caught them, they said their goodnights. The kiss they'd shared earlier that night, had left them self-conscious in each other's company. It wasn't because either of them regretted it. But under the circumstances, it didn't seem to be the right time for pursuing romance. Sarah had already retreated to bed, anxious to be alone with her tormented thoughts. Seeing Jareth in the flesh had unsettled her more than her dreams of him ever did. To have him right there in front of her and to feel his touch on her skin had been overwhelming. Closing her eyes, she could recapture the sensation of the soft leather of his glove brushing against her cheek. He might have shattered her illusions, but it appeared he'd only served to fuel her fantasies. However, his offer had been repugnant, and she was proud of herself for rejecting it and him. If the Goblin King was as ugly as his words, maybe she wouldn't feel so conflicted. Shallow as it was to be entranced by Jareth's ethereal beauty, she couldn't seem to help it. If only he could be as angelic in nature as he was in looks, but no good would come from wishing for the impossible.

Billie took a couple of painkillers for her headache and slipped into bed. Her relief over escaping with her life had been severely tempered by the knowledge Dracula was out there in the world. Her blood had given him life and he might feel more than ever, that it gave him an entitlement to the rest of it. The two young women tossed and turned, charged with pent up energy and each tormented by their own demons. Exhausted as they were, sleep didn't come easily and soon, the pale light of dawn began to creep through the curtains. Jet lag had yet to trouble Sarah, due to her staying up late every night since her arrival in London. But as she stared wide awake up at the ceiling, she began to feel homesick. She wondered if being surrounded by her own things would have provided some comfort as they did on her return from the Labyrinth. But unfortunately, she happened to be a long way from home.

Billie couldn't rest without knowing precisely what had transpired between her friend and the fae. She heard Sarah sighing and fussing with the bedsheets. Evidently, she too hadn't been able to fall asleep "So, after everything, the Goblin King only wanted his book back?" Billie questioned, suspecting her friend hadn't told her the whole story. It felt like an anti-climax somehow, as much as it was a relief to get at least one monkey off their backs.

Sarah let out a wistful sigh, "I guess I finally got to the end of that silly fairy story. It is over and for good this time."

It did feel strange to be without The Labyrinth. The first thing she'd done upon returning to her friend's bedroom was to check if it had gone from her flight bag. That battered little book had barely left her sight for more than three years and she felt strangely lost without it. Sarah couldn't bring herself to relate the full details of her encounter with Jareth. For one thing, she didn't want to admit she'd passed up a chance to get rid of Dracula. Billie would never want her to make that kind of sacrifice even to save her own life. She'd already said she considered it too heavy a price to pay. The Goblin King did have an almost irresistible allure and she would have to be dead not to see it. In her fantasies, she'd imagined being with him in all kinds of ways. But what he'd wanted from her, well, she couldn't be party to that. It reminded her of when she'd read Charlie and The Chocolate Factory to Toby. Her brother declared that when he grew up he wanted to make and eat candy for a living. Sarah warned him the novelty would soon wear off because what we imagine as our idea of heaven can quickly turn to hell.

* * *

Sarah awoke to find she was alone in the bedroom. The clock on the nightstand told her it had just turned ten in the morning. If she'd dreamed at all, none of them stuck in her mind and yet she didn't feel refreshed. Bleary-eyed, she dragged herself up and threw open the curtains to another bright and warm day; Midsummer's day, to be exact. The events of the previous evening seemed distant and unreal in the harsh morning light.

"Good, you're awake." Billie's voice made her jump. "Jude and I have been talking about what we should do next. He rang work and told them he had a family emergency and they've given him the rest of the week off." She paused and bit her lip displaying the unease of all she had preying on her mind. "If you want to get on a plane and as far away from this place as you can, I would completely understand," she said hovering anxiously in the doorway.

In a show of solidarity, Sarah crossed the room to take her friend's hand. "I'm not going anywhere," she assured her and vowed, "We are in this together. I don't run away when the going gets tough."

Billie explained that her father refused to hear anything more about Dracula. In the past, he'd actively tried to discourage her interest in the matter by disposing of everything connected to it. The chest containing Mina Harker's keepsakes had only been saved from the dump at the eleventh hour. All her great-great-grandmother's journals were written in old stenographer's shorthand, which no one in the family other than her had ever bothered to learn. David Harker wasn't interested in dusty old books and ghost stories. The rise and fall of the stock exchange got his heart pumping, not the tales of Count Dracula. He had left for work with his daughter's pleas for him to be cautious falling on deaf ears. Her stepmother and her step-brother, Stephen, promised, after much harrying, to be on the lookout for anything unusual. But the idea of her unwillingly putting them all in danger weighed heavily on her.

"I dreamt about him last night." Billie's voice dropped to a whisper and her pale face drained of what little colour it possessed. "It's different now, I feel connected to him in a way I never did before. He is invading my senses with all the things he's experiencing. His hold on me and my dreams always felt tenuous before, although he permeated them to a degree. I would sometimes see fragments of his memories and hear snippets of old conversations. He spoke directly to me, but his voice sounded distant, like a bad radio signal. It was as if he couldn't get any closer, no matter how hard he tried. Now, his presence is overwhelming me. Jude speculates that it's all in the blood because he drank Mina's, and mine resurrected him. We are linked now stronger than ever and there's only one way to break it. While he is newly reborn and possibly weakened as a result, we need to find and destroy him before he regains his full powers."

Sarah nodded; it made sense to attack while the possibility existed of catching him at a disadvantage. Professor Van Helsing described Dracula's might as being equivalent to twenty strong men at its peak. And they were fortunate to be in summer with hours of daylight at their disposal. The sun diminished the Count's abilities, and prevented him from transforming into the various guises he was capable of under the cover of darkness.

"He killed them all, except for Constantin," Billie grimaced disgusted by the images her mind had been assaulted with. "I could taste the copper tang as he ripped out their throats. His hunger every bit as ferocious as his rage, and their hot blood could sate neither. For all they did to resurrect him, I would not wish anyone to meet that fate." She shuddered and wondered how many more horrors she would be forced to endure.

Sarah had only been in her company for a few days, but the change in her friend was palpable, the shadow hanging over her now clear to see. Her usual effervescence had been dulled and she possessed a haunted look in her eyes.

"I don't know where he is now. He could still be in Purfleet, but it's unlikely," Billie slumped down on her bed. She already felt bone-weary and knew she needed to gather the energy required for the monster task ahead. Her sleeping hours belonged to Dracula now, and she feared to dream as much as she craved rest.

Sarah attempted to lighten the mood as she rifled through her selection of clothes. "What does one wear to hunt vampires?" There were plenty of outfits to choose from as she'd packed in anticipation of just about every scenario, except maybe that one. Cut-off jeans and a startlingly orange cropped blouse would have to do.

"That should be enough to deter any supernatural creature," her friend jested, although she couldn't manage much of a smile.

A loud knock at the front door had Billie jumping up with renewed vigour. She raced out of the room and down the stairs, only pausing to grab a wooden crucifix. Jude also stood ready with his iron knives. Her stepmother took no such precautions and was already greeting the delivery man who held out a fine bouquet of thirteen peach coloured roses. Thankfully, it appeared no weaponry would be required.

"Sarah's a lucky girl, I've never seen such stunning flowers," Julia said as she admired the perfect blooms and inhaled their sweet scent.

Billie felt pretty confident she knew the identity of the sender and called out to her friend. She saw a card attached to the cellophane wrapping in a sealed envelope. It appeared the story of The Labyrinth wasn't over after all.

"I'll be down in a minute," Sarah called as she got dressed in record time and freshened up in the bathroom. "Is everything okay?" She questioned as she joined the others in the kitchen. Her eyes grew wide with shock as Billie presented her with the bouquet. "There must be some mistake," she spluttered as she fumbled for the card.

_My offer still stands. All you have to do is call, J._

Sarah blushed crimson under the scrutiny of her companions. She wanted to toss the bouquet into the trash but worried about what Julia would make of her actions. Billie's stepmother had already gone to get her best vase from the cupboard. When she returned, she declared herself more than happy to take care of the roses. Sarah didn't protest glad to be rid of them as she hastily followed the others into the lounge so they could talk in private.

"Do we need to be concerned about the Goblin King?" Billie inquired as delicately as she could, appreciating her friend's discomfort.

Sarah shook her head as she screwed up the card and pushed it deep into her pocket. Jareth was a distraction they couldn't afford when they needed to concentrate their efforts on destroying the Count. "I won't be calling on him again so he's got no reason to come back," she declared with conviction she didn't possess in her heart. She couldn't be sure he wouldn't show up, regardless of whether she called. But, at least he wasn't likely to rip their throats out if he did show up. The danger he posed was of a different kind, although in seeking to make her his slave, he wasn't too far removed from Dracula.

Turning their attention back to the task at hand, they were still at a loss as to how best to proceed. The scant information they'd gathered ran the risk of setting them off on a wild goose chase. Jude wished he possessed his great-grandfather's ability to perform hypnosis. The unconscious mind channelled the connection between Billie and Dracula. She couldn't tap into it during her waking state. All they had to go on were the things she could recall from her nightmares. He instructed her to close her eyes and concentrate in the hope she might be able to summon up some small details she'd thought forgotten.

Billie took a deep breath and delved back into her dreams. "All I could sense of his surroundings was darkness and the musty smell of soil. He must be resting somewhere."

"I'd be willing to bet he won't venture out again to feed until after nightfall," Jude speculated based upon his knowledge of vampires and animals. "If he isn't at his full strength, he won't want to risk placing himself in vulnerable situations. From what the Professor's journals said, even at the height of his powers, Dracula preferred to avoid operating during daylight hours or being exposed to dangers where fatal errors could occur. Perhaps we should go back to Purfleet and see if we can gather any information from the local people."

"But what if we come across any more of the Copii De Ördög?" Sarah wasn't sure it was a wise move, knowing she couldn't rely on Jareth's help to save them again.

"We won't do anything stupid, but we have to try and seize the initiative here," Jude argued. He could see his companions were reluctant and he understood their reasoning because he hadn't exactly covered himself in glory the last time they were in peril, even if he did still manage to get the girl. Capitulating had been sensible under the circumstances, if not valiant. A dead hero would be no good to their cause, but he had to be willing to give his life if required.

Billie attempted to rally despite not feeling at her best. "We could call in an anonymous tip-off to the police about the dead cult members," she suggested. "I didn't see what happened to the bodies, but there were thirteen of them and it's unlikely they took the trouble to move them all."

Jude nodded; he didn't want to expose any of them to more danger than necessary.

"Perhaps we should concentrate on arming ourselves before we do anything else. I have more of my great-grandfather's weapons, including Jonathan Harker's kukri, and I know a priest who might help us." He had been brought up in the Catholic faith and despite lapsing, he couldn't bring himself to completely break away from it. One of his close childhood friends had recently been ordained and happened to be based in a nearby parish.

* * *

St. Edward the Confessor's Catholic Church in Golders Green had a fairly modern appearance, having first opened its doors in 1915. The architectural design of perpendicular Gothic gave it strong vertical lines and internal arches. There were rows of polished wooden pews in the nave leading up to the raised altar where the priest stood waiting for them.

"Ah, the return of the proverbial prodigal," the father greeted his old friend with a smile.

"The proverbial bad penny, more like," Jude quipped giving him a sheepish grin.

Father Caspar Stack had just become a curate in his first parish under the watchful eye of the parish priest, Father McKinnon. A tall, thin, studious looking young man with wavy sandy blond hair and friendly hazel eyes, he appeared welcoming enough.

Billie and Sarah hung back, waiting for Jude to make the introductions. Both felt uncomfortable in different ways as if they'd received divine judgement and had been found wanting. However, Caspar offered them warm greetings and they all took a seat on the front pew.

"I confess, I was surprised to get your call," Father Stack fiddled uneasily with the cover of the bible he was holding. "Childhood stories are one thing, and what boy doesn't love a scary story, eh? But you are asking me to believe there is a vampire in our midst, and you're saying you need my help to vanquish it." He paused to observe the earnest expressions on the faces of his three companions. If they were orchestrating some kind of prank, they were playing it for all it was worth.

"I know how it must sound, but it's true, I swear it in front of God," Billie said ready to argue her case. "You are a man of faith and as such, you believe in a great many things. Some of which, if you'll forgive me for saying so, might be considered a lot less plausible than vampires." She didn't wish to insult his religion. But a man who believed in the resurrection of Christ should be able to accept the possibility of someone rising from the grave with unholy intentions.

Father Stack could see no malice intended on her part. He saw only fear in her eyes and conviction that she spoke the truth. "I'll do what I can," he vowed. "I can certainly help you out on the sacramental wafer front if nothing else."

Jude smiled glad of any assistance they could get, and he talked about what more might be done to protect their souls. Caspar offered them his blessings as they prepared to depart and quoted to them from Deuteronomy.  _"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Devil In Me is by Jamie N. Commons. 
> 
> Thank you to all who have left a comment, given kudos and continue to read this story. I really appreciate it - Mrs P.


	8. Fresh Blood

After their visit to see Father Stack, Billie insisted they should stop somewhere for dinner. It seemed silly to pause for mundane things like eating, but they needed to keep their energy up. Stuck in traffic on their way to a local cafe, Jude noticed the headline on the board outside a newsagent's shop. He ran in to buy the latest edition of the local paper as soon as Billie found somewhere to park. Their earlier anonymous phone box call to the police turned out to be unnecessary as the bodies of thirteen people had been discovered in a burned out old barn in Purfleet. Firefighters made the grim discovery as they extinguished the last of the flames. It had to be the same place the three of them were taken to and held captive in. There were scant details in the newspaper report, and nothing to give them any clues as to Dracula's current whereabouts.

It was early evening by the time they reached Jude's bedsit. Billie parked as close to the house as possible, anxious at the memory of her car being stolen. The subsequent horrors were fresh in all their minds. She gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles were white, reluctant to leave the comfort and security of her metal shell behind.

Appreciating her hesitation, Jude put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You two can wait here if you'd prefer," he said. As much as he would have preferred the three of them to stay together, he could see she wanted to stay put.

Billie nodded, "Best not to tempt fate."

Sarah agreed, and then a sudden urge to use the facilities overtook her. She cursed herself for drinking too much tea at the cafe. Jude had the key to the shared bathroom somewhere in his bedsit but he wasn't sure he could give her its exact location. As much as he hated to leave either girl alone, there didn't seem to be any other option.

"Keep the doors locked and I'll be right back," Sarah assured her friend.

Jude checked Billie had the knife with the iron blade at the ready. "You won't need it, of course," he stated with confidence, "But better to be safe than sorry."

She clutched the blade to her chest. "I hate that we are in this situation. Regardless of the circumstances, I resurrected that creature. And I can't, in good conscience, let him loose on the world, not if there's any chance of stopping him." She remained determined despite her fears. "Besides, I have to get him out of my head, I can't stand it. You both understand that, don't you?"

Her companions nodded; Sarah, in particular, knew what it was to carry such a burden. After wishing her brother away to the Goblin King, she'd had to take responsibility for everything that followed as a result of that act. She covered her friend's hand with her own. "Hang tight and I'll be back before you know it," she promised.

Billie held fast to the knife as her eyes darted up and down the street. Her friends hastily disappeared into the house and she silently willed them to hurry up. Ten minutes passed, and she grew so anxious she could hardly breathe. How long did it take to use the bathroom and grab some vampire-killing-equipment anyway? Another five minutes went by, and still, there was no sign of either Jude or Sarah. Billie checked the street again; a white van pulled away from the kerb some distance up the road and a dog walker passed by on the other side. Otherwise, everything appeared quiet. Mindful of being led into a trap, she thought twice about going in search of them. But if her friends were in trouble, she couldn't just sit around. Concealing the knife in her jacket pocket, she hesitantly opened the car door. But before Billie could get any further, Jude came tearing out of the house waving a piece of white paper in his hand.

"What happened?" She desperately glanced around in search of her friend. "Where's Sarah?"

Jude raked a hand through his hair in bewilderment. "She returned the bathroom key to me and said she was coming straight back here to you," he gasped, hardly able to get his words out. "I gathered my things and when I stepped onto the landing, I found this letter stuck to my door." He held it up a guilt-ridden expression on his face. "I should have gone with her."

Billie took the letter from his hand and read it.

"I heard a thud, but I thought it was just the front door closing. I've let her down, I've let you both down," Jude wailed clasping a shaky hand to his mouth. His great-grandfather wouldn't have made such schoolboy errors, he was sure. How disappointed the illustrious Professor Abraham Van Helsing would be that his genes had been so diluted.

Billie wanted to offer him comfort but she felt overwhelmed and immobilised by the direness of their situation. She glanced again in horror at the red scrawl on the page. Most likely it had been written in blood, and bile began to rise in the back of her throat.

_My Dearest Wilhelmina,_

_How you must curse the day your family crossed paths with me. I am certain many would join you in cursing my name. I have heard men, women, and children use their last breath to do so. I will, no doubt, continue to bear such witness. The men who assisted in my resurrection wished they had left me to rest in peace when they discovered death would be their reward and not eternal life as they desired. I do not offer so rare and precious a gift to the unworthy. However, the journey can be tedious for a lone traveller and it is passed more pleasantly in congenial company. I now have your friend for a companion, and I invite you to join us._

_I know not how you managed to evade me last night, and it scarcely matters. Many have plotted against me, and they do say fortune favours the brave. Maybe you shall triumph in your schemes, as your ancestor once did. You are welcome to try, although I should caution you, that by doing so you risk the lives of all you hold dear. Come to me freely, and I shall spare them. Engage me in battle, and their deaths will be your reward._

_Almost a hundred years have gone by since I last walked among the creatures of this world. There have been a great many changes in that time, and none for the good. Without your blood to give me life, I existed as a mere disembodied entity forced to bear witness to history but unable to lend my wisdom to it. No more. The time is ripe for a man of my vision to shape the future. Come, and be a part of it, a part of me. For are you not already my kin? I cannot countenance your continued existence in any other capacity._

_Soon, I will call. Will you answer?_

_D._

* * *

Jareth skulked about in his throne room, a dark rage boiling within him. Restlessly, he paced to and fro in danger of wearing down the heels of his sleek suede boots. The goblins had, in an unusual display of wisdom for them, scattered in an attempt to get out of harm's way. The King's magic had been restored and his kingdom set to rights, and yet, he remained unsatisfied. The source of what ailed him he suspected, but did not want to admit. He clenched his fist in anger, sending her roses had been a mistake. His actions betrayed his desperation to maintain a connection to her and he'd squandered the upper hand he'd gained. Loneliness could be endured, and it had been until he'd allowed the hope of something more to creep in like a slow acting poison. Jareth had been condemned by accident of birth to a fate he neither chose nor wanted, was that fair? Did he not deserve some consolation? Before insanity claimed him, it behoved him to take expedient measures to thwart it. After all, it was Midsummer and his magic had its ways. She didn't have to come willingly this time.

The Goblin King ceased his pacing conjured up a crystal ball and peered inside it. "Foolish girl, no doubt you will expect me to turn the world upside down for you once more," he roared at the image in the orb. Splinters of glass pinged around the room as he sent it crashing into the nearest wall. "Perhaps I should allow that creature to make a companion of you. Maybe then you will realise what a generous gift I offered you." Jareth swept over to his throne and sat glowering while he pondered his next move.

* * *

Sarah blinked in the dim light and found it too dark to make much out of her surroundings. She could see she'd been put in a small room with a shuttered window. The air tasted stale and the place smelt of dust and decay. Her mouth felt dry and the stuffy atmosphere wasn't helping. Coughing into her hand to stifle the noise, she staggered to her feet. The floorboards creaked in protest as she carefully began to feel around for a door or some other exit. It wasn't easy to be quiet in such a ramshackle place, and Sarah felt sure her abductor would reappear at any second. There were hazards lurking in the gloom, and she yelped in pain as she snagged her hand on something sharp protruding from the wall. The cut appeared relatively small but deep, and she could feel hot blood trickling down her arm. She had nothing to bind the wound and so she held her arm aloft in the hope of stemming the flow. How she came to be trapped in such a ghastly place, Sarah wasn't exactly sure. Her last clear memory was of returning Jude's bathroom key with every intention of heading straight back outside to the car and Billie. Upon descending the stairs from his bedsit, she'd got the strangest feeling as if she had someone shadowing her. The next thing she knew, she awoke in her current location.

Panic threatened to overwhelm her and Sarah drew deep breaths, attempting to regain control. The stuffy air didn't help and she could feel her heart pounding. Inclined as she might be to put her abduction and missing time down to Jareth, this wasn't his style. The crumbling decrepitude of her surroundings suggested another likely suspect, and she shuddered at the thought. Somewhere in the back of her mind, the memory of red eyes and sharp teeth lingered. Sarah brought her hand up to her throat to check for bite marks. Her relief at finding none short-lived, given her predicament. The sound of heavy footsteps advancing ever closer caused her to draw back against the wall in terror. Whoever stood outside the door, they were struggling to turn the key in the stubborn lock. Eventually, the door creaked open.

"Get to your feet, girl," Constantin commanded as he threw her a mocking glance. "The master requests the pleasure of your company."

When Sarah refused to move, he trained his torch beam on her and dragged her blinking to the door. She winced in pain as he grabbed her injured hand and opened the wound again.

"Look at all that lovely blood going to waste," he lamented licking his lips in a sloppy way that sickened her.

"Get off me," she screeched and tried in vain to pull free from his grasp.

"Struggle all you like, it'll do you no good. You belong to the master now, just like me." Constantin's eyes shone with ecstasy.

The knife Jude gave her was gone, but she had a pocket full of sacramental wafers thanks to Father Stack. In preparation for what lay ahead, Sarah took a deep breath. This wasn't the first time she'd faced a terrifying supernatural creature, she reminded herself. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a voice whispered to her. All she needed to do was call  _him_  and he'd save her, at a cost.

The mouldering floorboards squeaked ominously under their feet as they made their way down the dingy passage. After a short distance, they came to a door with cracked and peeling varnish. As Constantin knocked to announce their arrival, it fell off in fine flakes illuminated by the torchlight.

"Come," a cultured voice, spoken in good English with a mere trace of an accent, bid them enter.

The Count, seated in a battered tan leather armchair next to an empty fireplace, sprang to his feet and gave a slight bow before dismissing his servant. An empty chair similar to his in style but slightly smaller sat opposite and he waved his hand in an invitation for Sarah to sit down. Warily, she did as he bid sinking into the supple leather. It groaned in protest at being utilised after standing idle for so long but felt surprisingly comfortable. A couple of candelabras dripping with melted wax lit the room and she could see the scant furnishings were caked in dust. The plaster had crumbled in some places and the cracked paint was peeling off of the walls. Spider webs hung from every dank corner.

"I see you have sustained an injury," he said his cold blue eyes momentarily appearing to glow with red fire.

Sarah quite forgot about her wound as other concerns had overtaken it. The cut wasn't bleeding but her hand and arm were streaked with jagged crimson lines. She hid it away from his scrutinising glare and tried to muster up some bravado. Dracula appeared just as Billie described him; a youngish man, with long flowing chestnut hair, pale sharp waxen features, and cruel eyes. His three-piece black suit looked old-fashioned, and yet classically elegant. The fading surroundings were a match for him because, even in his youthful guise, he seemed to be at home among the decay. He wasn't unattractive as such, but he certainly didn't have Jareth's alluring ethereal beauty. Plus, she didn't care for moustaches, however neatly groomed they were.

"What am I doing here?" She questioned. "What do you want with me?"

The Count had definitely felt a pull towards this young woman, although he wasn't entirely sure why. He admired her dark beauty, but it ran deeper than that. His red lips twisted into a sinister leering smile. "I'm sure you are aware that I once intended to make a home for myself here in London. The beating heart of this bustling metropolis enticed me, and I longed to be part of it. However, I now hear another siren call. This country isn't what it was, the Empire is over. Alas, I must remain in this place until certain matters of business have been attended to and my finances put in order. Fortunately, the law firm I employed is first class, even if the paperwork accrued in my absence, which must be dealt with, is mountainous. But thereafter, well, the world is our oyster."

Sarah shuddered with revulsion at the implication behind his words. She thought about his intentions towards Mina and of the three women he'd kept in his castle. What was it about her that attracted these creatures making them want to claim and possess her? Now wasn't the time to ponder it, she needed to concentrate on escaping. Dracula had been speaking, but she wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were scanning the room for something to aid in her bid for freedom. But before she realised what had happened, she'd been pulled into his icy-cold vice-like arms. His rank breath repelled her and it chilled her to the bone as his lips brushed against her neck.

"There is no one to save you," he hissed. "I will make you flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood, kin of my kin."

Sarah fought against his hold. Remembering the sacramental wafers in her pocket, she wrestled against him in a futile attempt to reach them.

"No," she whimpered.

His eyes burned red and his white fangs gleamed in the candlelight. "Wilhelmina will join us, have no fear. Think of the three of us together, we shall be such a merry party. I will kill Van Helsing's spawn, of course. The great Professor who engineered my downfall shall not escape my wrath, even if I am forced to exact my pound of flesh from his relation. Vengeance shall be mine!" Dracula kept a hold on her tight enough to crush the breath from her body. "You will be my companion and devoted slave, from this day forward and evermore," he said advancing on her neck and ready to drink deep of her.

Sarah decided she would have to choose the lesser of two evils. "J…" she tried to call his name but she could barely breathe. As she opened her mouth to try again, the dust and cobwebs were sucked from their resting places and whipped up into a swirling tornado.

After a dramatic pause, the Goblin King emerged through a cascade of glitter. "Hello again, Sarah." he managed to make his greeting sound like a reprimand.

Dracula growled in frustration at the uninvited guest. "The girl is mine," he insisted, although his voice came out more shrill than menacing.

Jareth merely smirked in reply, which only served to anger the Count further.

"I know not what manner of sprite you are, but I'll wager you were the one who denied me my rightful prize last night, and you shall not do so again," Dracula warned his red eyes blazing.

Sarah felt torn between being relieved to see the Goblin King and fearing she would fare no better in his clutches. Both of them wanted to claim her, body and soul. But when it came down to a choice, she would have to go with Jareth.

The door swung open, and Constantin charged into the room brandishing a shiny double-sided axe. He advanced no further than the threshold as a wave of the Goblin King's gloved-hand froze him where he stood. "Do not toy with me, vampire," he chided the Count. "You may be powerful next to these fragile mortal creatures, but don't imagine you can best me."

Sarah couldn't help feeling a spark of arousal at his display of superiority, despite it hardly being the time for such thoughts. He stepped forward and pulled her from Dracula's grasp. Neither of them offered him any resistance. Jareth held her every bit as tight as the iron embrace she'd just be freed from, except his body radiated warmth. It appeared she'd merely exchanged the teeth of one steel trap for another. "I want to go home," she demanded, not sure if she meant back to Billie's or to her own family. She longed to see Toby and her father and stepmother again. But her friends still needed her, and she wouldn't abandon them. "Will you take me?" Her tone softened as she pleaded with the Goblin King.

He gazed into her beguiling green eyes and he knew what he had to do.

The Count looked on, his rage turning to fascination. This pretty mortal appeared to draw in supernatural creatures like moths to a flame. The sprite had obviously fallen under her thrall.

"Yes, my precious one, I will take you," Jareth purred, as he enfolded Sarah in his cloak. "Let us go home."

Before she could quibble with him over his interpretation of the word, he swept them both away in a shimmering whirlwind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is taken from Fresh Blood by Eels.
> 
> Thank you again for the comments and kudos, please do keep the feedback coming, I really appreciate it - Mrs P.


	9. Your Heart Is As Black As Night

"I have to get back to my friends and warn them about Dracula." Sarah continued to protest as the scenery changed around her. It went from a swirling blend of rainbow colours to the relative drabness of the Goblin King's throne room. All at once, they landed in a cushion-strewn pit and she lost her footing. Jareth let her fall, knowing she would have a soft landing. Before she could escape his clutches, he moved to pin her beneath him.

"What are you doing? Get off me," she demanded alarmed by the amorous fire in his odd eyes.

"Oh, Sarah," Jareth muttered her name as if it were a benediction.

She writhed beneath him in an attempt to break free.

His lips nuzzled her neck, making her traitorous body shudder in a different way to when Dracula had done the same. However, she feared the Goblin King was no less dangerous. Sarah pushed firmly against his chest, causing her to wince in pain with her injured hand.

"Oh, you are hurt, my precious," Jareth noted his ardour cooling at the sight of the dried blood. "I should not have delayed," he said appearing angry with himself. "Can you forgive me?"

He surprised her with his tenderness and before she could respond in any way, his lips sought out the injury. With reverence, he planted a gentle kiss over the deep cut and a tingling sensation emanated from the point of contact. As he drew back, she let out a gasp of wonderment at the sight of her skin healing before her eyes.

"How did you...? Wow," Sarah inspected her hand to find there wasn't a mark on it, not even a scar.

"You may thank me by repaying me in kind." The Goblin King made it sound like a royal command.

Caught up in the magic of the moment, Sarah leant in intending to plant a chaste peck on his cheek. Jareth took control of the situation, wrapping her in a firm embrace as he mercilessly plundered her mouth with his own. When he finally let her up for air, she was left panting for breath. Technically, it wasn't her first kiss; her various stage performances had sometimes included romantic scenes. Her prom date had also lunged at her after escorting her home. But she decided they didn't count, not next to being kissed by Jareth. Her cheeks coloured at the realisation of how aroused she felt. The dream embraces they'd shared were nothing compared to the reality. Her senses were aflame and she feared she might spontaneously combust. The warning voice in her head shouted for attention, cautioning her against falling for his seduction. Despite her inexperience and mistrust of him, the temptation to ignore the danger was strong as he kissed her for the second time. His hands roamed over her body until they neared an intimate place, which brought her back to her senses.

"Hey, don't get any ideas, I'm not staying here," Sarah protested as she slapped him away. "You promised to take me home, and you know damn well this isn't it." Her green eyes blazed with indignation.

Jareth lay nonchalantly back against the cushions, his sensual lips breaking into a self-satisfied smirk.

"You have to take me back to my friends right now," she insisted. "I must warn them about Dracula's plans before it's too late."

"What care I for such matters?" The Goblin King said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Sarah huffed impatiently and tried to scramble out of the pit, but Jareth pulled her back in. "I've been reconsidering my offer to you, and as you found it so distasteful, I've decided to upgrade it. How would you like to be my wife and queen?"

She sat wide-eyed and open-mouthed in shock. He took her silence as acquiescence.

"Pleasing me in bed shall be your wifely duty, just as pleasing you will be mine as your devoted husband," he vowed.

With a sprinkle of glitter which he seemed to conjure out of thin air, he transformed their outfits. Her startlingly orange blouse and cut-off jeans were gone. In their place, she wore a regal crimson velvet gown, which revealed a bit more cleavage than she considered decent. The Goblin King now wore a ruffled cream shirt, which hung open almost to the waist, and his distinctive amulet swung jauntily around his neck. His contour-hugging grey pants and matching suede boots were set off by an exquisitely embroidered salmon-coloured waistcoat with two low fastening silver buttons.

"Stop it," Sarah demanded as he kissed her hand and pulled her closer to him. Her breath hitched as his lips brushed against the exposed sensitive skin of her neck. If he didn't cease his attentions, she feared she might surrender. She squirmed around determined to deny the pleasure she felt when something sharp dug into her rump. It elicited a yelp of pain from her which caused Jareth to release her from his arms. Searching for the culprit, she grimaced in disgust at the discovery she'd sat on a broken chicken bone. "I don't know how someone as... well, how someone like you could live in a dump like this," she chided, surveying the debris strewn throne room with a critical eye.

Fowl remains of all kinds littered every part of it. Carcases, feathers, faeces, eggs; smashed and whole. Beer barrels with leaking taps had been left to create stale-smelling puddles. The goblins were obviously still running amok, although the place was suspiciously clear of them for the moment.

"Is it not to your liking, my future queen?" Jareth pouted.

"Don't call me that." Sarah pulled away from him and got to her feet. For the first time, she noticed the shoes he'd conjured for her were ruby encrusted slippers. "What will happen, I wonder if I click my heels together and say there's no place like home?" She performed the actions with an eye roll because nothing happened, just as she suspected.

Jareth sprang up to join her. Casting a disdainful eye around his throne room, he grimaced, "I suppose it is looking a little shabby," he admitted as he kicked away a bowl of mouldering chicken stew.

It never bothered him much before as he loathed the place. One didn't expend energy and lavish attention on making a hellhole more habitable. Besides, the goblins were slovenly creatures and finery would be wasted on them. But if his queen desired pretty things to look at other than her king, of course, he would be accommodating.

Jareth twirled a crystal ball, which seemed to appear from out of nowhere.

"Any requests regarding the decor?"

Sarah shrugged; it wasn't as if it mattered to her. This place wasn't her home, nor was it ever likely to be. Noting him eyeing her with an expectant look, she threw her hands up in exasperation, "Surprise me."

He smiled seductively preparing to release the orb so it could perform its magic.

Sarah spied a round porthole window behind her, and she turned her attention from the disarray inside to the outside. For the first time since her return, it struck her she was actually back in the Goblin Kingdom. The Labyrinth stretched out beyond the horizon illuminated by the strange orange sky. It all looked exactly as she remembered, from a distance at least. The sensation it evoked wasn't exactly akin to a homecoming, but it certainly gave her warm fuzzy feelings. "I wonder where my friends are," she mused aloud.

Her query irked Jareth and the crystal ball popped like a bubble in his hand. His intentions of redecorating the room evaporated with it. He sulkily strode over to his throne and sat down, slinging one leg over the Horned arm.

"Where would one expect to find traitors in a castle?" He asked in his sardonic way.

Her brow furrowed as she figured out what he meant. "Goblin King, you're despicable!" Sarah advanced on him glowering harder with every step. "So that's why they never answered when I called, is it? I demand you let them go right now." She stood defiant, hands on hips.

"Ask me nicely and address me as Jareth when you do so, and I may grant your wish," he teased getting a thrill from hearing her say his name. For that, he was willing to be generous. Three years languishing in the dank castle dungeons probably constituted sufficient punishment. It should make his wretched subjects think twice before defying him again.

Sarah wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. And, if it didn't mean condemning her old friends to remain locked in their undoubtedly bleak cells, she would have unleashed her temper. "Jareth, please, let my friends go." She hated having to grovel, but needs must.

The Goblin King appeared satisfied and roared to attract the attention of his guards. Two clattering, clumsy, armoured goblins appeared, doing their best to stand to attention. "Go to the dungeons immediately and release the dwarf, the monster, and whatever that thing in the plumed cap is," he ordered.

"Yes, your majesty," they echoed attempting to bow and scrape and failing due to their heavy metal shells.

Jareth exasperatedly waved them away and turned his attention back to Sarah. "It appears, yet again, you are determined to exhaust me with your expectations," he wearily sighed.

Perhaps he'd lived in isolation for too long with only imbecilic creatures for company. It might have rendered him incapable of sustaining a romantic relationship. He did not doubt his ability to satisfy Sarah in bed. But the rest of the time, they would surely drive each other crazy. Maybe it would be for the best if he carried on living alone and let the wretched title of Goblin King die with him. He wanted her to save his sanity, not push him over the edge of reason. Except, somehow he knew, as he'd known three years ago, that she was his salvation.

"I wanna see them and make sure they're okay before I leave," Sarah frowned, worried about what three years in a dungeon might have done to her friends.

"Leave?" Jareth questioned as if she'd suggested something ridiculous.

Sarah felt a rising wave of panic; he didn't really intend to keep her prisoner, did he? What about her family and friends? Billie, for one, was counting on her.

"I can't stay here," she insisted. "Look, I'm grateful you swooped in and saved me from Dracula. But that doesn't mean I want to be your queen or anything else for that matter."

It wasn't that his proposal didn't have its attractions, more so than his previous one, at least. But she couldn't accept, not at the age of eighteen and maybe, never. Relationships need to be built on more than physical attraction, however strong that might be. Was he the kind of man she could build a future with? He wasn't even a man at all, he was a character from a book. The Goblin King remained as much a fantasy as he was flesh and blood.

Jareth reached down the side of his throne and produced his crystal topped riding crop. Sarah gulped as he got up and stalked towards her. She sucked in a breath as he gently stroked the underside of her chin with the leather tip. "Is my generosity to go unappreciated again?" He questioned in clipped tones.

She didn't reply as he glared at her, his strange eyes cold and cruel.

"I can always revoke my offer to release your friends," Jareth threatened. "Perhaps you'd like to join them. You could all complain about how unfair everything is together."

Sarah shook her head; his earlier tenderness had obviously been an act to entrap her. This was the real Goblin King, the one she'd rightly feared as much as desired.

"Either agree to be my wife and queen or be prepared to take the consequences of rejecting me, the choice is yours," he demanded drawing back his crop and thwacking the seat of his throne with it.

The move startled her and tried to step away from him, but he grabbed hold of her wrist.

"You have no p…"

The Goblin King cut her off with a disdainful glare. "Oh, but I do have power over you, don't I precious one?" He taunted. "You were kind enough to restore it to me the last time we met, of had you forgotten?"

Her heart sank. "You lied to me," she spat unable to stop tears from pooling in her eyes. "And I thought the fae didn't lie. You said you'd have no claim on me and I believed you. More fool me."

Jareth regretted falling into his villainous act as a tear rolled down her cheek. "The mortal world is a dangerous place, my love," he gently reminded her. "I've saved you from that vampire twice in as many days. Do you want to make it third time lucky for him?" He stopped the progress of another teardrop with his gloved finger and transformed it into a sapphire.

Sarah gasped in wonderment as he dropped it into her open palm. She closed her fingers around it and let out a sigh of frustration. Why did he have to be such an infuriating creature? He could be so sweet and such thrilling company if he stopped playing his nasty games. "Why does it have to be all or nothing?" She questioned. "Couldn't we have something in between for now?" The idea of spending more time with this magical being enticed her, as long as it was her choice.

Jareth returned to his throne in a contemplative state and cursed his earlier procrastination. He might have had longer to tempt her to stay if he hadn't wasted so much of the day wallowing in self-pity. His magic wouldn't be strong enough to pull her back into his world again until Samhain, and that was months away. He could visit her in the meantime, but the mortal realm drained his magic and weakened him and so he could never stay for long. Sarah would be transported back to where she came from at the stroke of midnight unless he could bind her to him. Unfortunately for him, his power over her had its limits. Jareth refused to take her by force. Seducing her into bed before the clock chimed twelve would be a tall order, even for him.

Sarah watched as he silently debated his next course of action. "I'm not saying never to the whole queen business, but shouldn't we make the effort to get to know each other properly first?" Sarah argued, hoping he would see the sense of it.

The king opened his mouth as if to speak but the sound of raucous singing invaded the room from somewhere outside and put him off. The smell of burning wood drifted in through the window along with other, more mouth-watering aromas.

"What's going on?" Sarah questioned as she peered out onto the courtyard below.

The goblins seemed to be engaged in some kind of frivolous revelry which included drinking, singing, feasting, and lighting bonfires.

Jareth joined her as they put their squabbling on hold. "Ah, the Litha celebrations," he announced. "I did wonder where my faithful subjects had sloped off to, the sly things." It wasn't too surprising he'd forgotten all about them under the circumstances.

"Litha?" Sarah wasn't familiar with the word.

"Midsummer," the Goblin King clarified. "Care to join the party?"

Before she could reply, he'd transported them both down to the courtyard where the festivities were already in full swing. A goblin, with dark green skin and fuzzy white hair, brought over a tray with two silver goblets on it.

"Your majesty," the little fellow bowed and then gazed up at her, "Milady?"

"Thank you," Sarah courteously took the wine, although she had no intention of drinking it.

"Run along now, Bodwin," Jareth shooed him away as the creature gawped in surprise at recognising at their guest.

The goblin joined his friends and they broke into much giggling and suggestive gesticulating, to the king and his companion's dismay. He led her over to where a merry band played a lively jig. Trestle tables bearing copious amounts of food and drink had been set up. The plates and bottles were being mercilessly and messily plundered leaving nothing but crumbs for the rats. Some of the goblins were tending a large bonfire, while others shovelled burning red embers out from it to form a pathway. A cart filled with different kinds of flowers got pulled into place near the start of the fiery trail.

"What's that for?" Sarah questioned as she watched a female goblin begin to make up small colourful bouquets.

Jareth took a sip from his goblet and set it down on a nearby table. "It's a traditional Litha ritual," he explained. "One grabs a bunch of flowers and attempts to dash across the hot coals. If you're successful, you toss your bouquet into the bonfire at the other end. It is said that if you do so, you shall see the face of your future spouse in the flames." He gave her a mischievous grin.

The pair of them watched with interest as a few goblins lined up to undertake the challenge. The crowd began clapping and chanting as the first volunteer undertook the fire walk.

" _Who shall I marry?_

_Who will it be?_

_Is Prince or Princess Charming waiting for me?_

_Who'll be my love?_

_Who'll be my mate?_

_Oh, sweet flames, please show me my fate."_

A tanned-skinned goblin with spiky black hair named Snodgrass made it to the bonfire, and he tossed in his bouquet. "Oh, frazzlin' dadgummit!" He cursed, evidently unhappy with his future-spouse-vision.

A few more made the crossing with happier results. Sarah got lost in the merriment, not realising the music had hypnotised her into a stupor. She quite forgot all about her troubles and her friends.

The hour grew late and Jareth's eyes twinkled with puckish intent; he may not be able to keep her with him this time, but he could further his cause. "Would you care to have a go?" He inquired as he pointed towards the glowing hot path.

Sarah blinked as the music spell was broken." I have to warn my friends," she insisted as her focus returned to her mission. "I can't stay here; you're trying to trap me." Billie and Jude could be already dead for all she knew, or undead, in Billie's case.

"No trap, I assure you. I only thought you might find it fun," Jareth said as he took her by the hand and led her towards the flower cart.

"If I do it, will you promise to take me straight back to my friends afterwards?" Sarah nervously eyed the fiery path; if the goblins could do it, so could she.

The Goblin King nodded; he could have played it differently but all was not lost. His time would surely come and then, he would have his queen.

How could she trust him after everything? Sarah let out a heavy sigh; it wasn't as if she had any other option. The goblins were stoking the embers and piling fresh hot coals on the path. She drew in a deep breath and grabbed one of the bouquets. The flowers were unfamiliar to her, apart from the foxgloves and dog rose which she knew from her grandmother's garden. Hesitantly, she got into position ready to make the run, and she kicked off her shoes. "You promise, right? Cross your heart and all that?" Sarah double-checked fixing him with a sceptical glare.

Jareth smiled and nodded as she prepared for the fire walk. Unseen by her, or the enthusiastic crowd, he gave a wave of his hand to place a protection spell over her feet. He would not have her harmed in any way.

The goblins began their chant and, focusing on mind over matter, she set off across the burning path. It was over before she knew it. "Yes!" Sarah punched the air in triumph.

The Goblin King applauded and gave her a gracious bow.

"A piece of cake, hmm?" He jested, sharing in her delight. "Now throw the bouquet into the fire and see the face of your future husband."

Sarah did as he bid her and she squinted as a picture began to emerge in the dancing flames. The vision disappeared in a puff of smoke and she schooled her features so as not to give anything away.

"Well?" Jareth questioned, hoping his confidence had not been misplaced.

It was in his nature to turn everything into a game and so Sarah decided to call his bluff. She refused to reveal anything. "You could always have a go yourself," she challenged.

Somewhere, a clock began to strike twelve and before the Goblin King could answer her, she began to fade from his view. Without him to transport her to wherever she wished to go, she was about to be deposited back in the exact spot he'd taken her from.

"Oh, thunderation!" He angrily exclaimed. How could he of all people forget the time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your Heart Is As Black As Night is a song by Melody Gardot.
> 
> Thank you again for the comments and kudos, I really appreciate your continued enthusiasm for this story.


	10. I Will Possess Your Heart

Billie had been fighting against exhaustion all day. With Sarah missing, she couldn't afford to rest. But sleep kept trying to claim her and eventually, she succumbed to it. Jude carefully covered her with a blanket and maintained a vigil at her side. He could well understand how his great-grandfather had been compelled to help Mina Harker as her relation aroused the same instincts in him. It wasn't only the desire to protect her that he felt, there were other feelings he could not ignore. When this nightmare ended, he would be free to indulge them, if that's what she wanted too. He hopes she would because, despite their short acquaintance, he can't imagine his life now without her in it.

After finding out Dracula had taken Sarah, they were at a loss as to how to proceed. Reluctant as they were to go back inside the building, it seemed prudent to question Jude's neighbours. One of them must have invited Dracula in and may not have lived to tell the tale. As it turned out, Mr Stokes, an elderly man who lived in the front downstairs bedsit, confessed to giving admittance to someone matching Constantin's description. The sometime taxi driver was apparently masquerading as a meter reader from the local electricity board. Dracula may have been lurking in the vicinity, but no one recalled seeing him. Having failed to gain any information to aid them in finding Sarah, Jude turned in desperation to his great-grandfather's journals for assistance. He had the idea that if he could replicate Van Helsing's technique for hypnotising Mina with Billie, they might be able to get some vital clues as to Dracula's whereabouts. It was a long shot, but they'd exhausted all other conventional options. Their first priority had been to find a safe location in which to attempt the task. The bedsit wasn't secure with Constantin and the Count knowing where they were. Billie didn't want to involve her family any further, so returning to Greenwich was ruled out. In desperation, Jude decided to turn to his friend, Caspar. After all, the man was a priest and supposedly in the business of giving sanctuary to those in need. Unfortunately, Father Stack wasn't as welcoming as they hoped. He appeared to be more concerned about what his earthly boss, the parish priest, would make of the whole business. Jude argued he should look to a higher authority and that God wouldn't want him to turn them away, especially when lives were at stake. With reluctance, Caspar agreed to let them stay for the night.

After getting settled in, Jude went over his great-grandfather's notes one last time. The hypnosis procedure was unusual in that it wasn't the traditional kind which utilised a swinging watch or pendulum. Instead, passes were made in front of the subject's face using alternate hands all while maintaining intense eye contact. Van Helsing swore by it as an effective method and it had certainly worked on Madam Mina. There was no time to lose and as soon as Billie was sitting comfortably, he began. Jude could see from old photographs that he had the same eyes as his great-grandfather. Both of them being full of curiosity and wonder. He only hoped he'd also inherited the professor's talent for putting people into a trance. To his relief, Billie did appear to be falling under as he waved his hands in the required fashion. The warm night air left Jude sweating profusely as he maintained intense concentration. His subject kept her gaze fixed intently on his and after a few minutes, her eyelids flickered and closed. She sat perfectly still; no part of her moving except for the steady rise and fall of her chest. When she opened her eyes a moment later, they were glassy and distant.

"Billie, tell me what you can see?" He inquired in a low voice, practically holding his breath as he awaited her reply.

"Sarah," she cried. "Her heart is fluttering, like a wild bird trapped in a cage. I can hear her blood singing."

"Where are you?" Jude needed her to focus in on the location.

"In a garden that has no greenery," Billie laughed in a sinister way that wasn't her own.

It could be Covent Garden, he mused. He intended to press her for more details, but before he could, she began to speak again in a surprised tone.

"And what do we have here, a sprite is it?"

"Is it the Goblin King?" Jude tried not to get too animated for fear of breaking the trance.

"He took my dark haired beauty away," Billie hissed.

"Sarah?" He didn't know what to make of that, other than she might be slightly better off with a faery than a vampire.

"Let the sprite have her, I shall have what's mine. How many will flock to my side when they realise what it is in my power to give?" Billie smiled in such a wicked way it made Caspar shudder.

The priest had been watching the proceedings and silently praying for all of their souls.

Jude pressed for details of Dracula's plans, but it appeared the Count had grown wise to what was going on and further questions were met with evasion and derision.

"I will see you both soon enough," he vowed through Billie.

She slumped face down onto the couch and couldn't be roused for a long moment.

Father Stack and Jude were both on the verge of panic, their nerves frayed as it was, but thankfully, she soon regained consciousness. Caspar brewed up a fresh pot of tea to aid her recovery.

"Well?" Billie took a sip from her cup eager to hear what had transpired, as it appeared she had retained no memory of it. Finding out Jareth took Sarah from Dracula's clutches had hardly been a comfort, but her friend had outwitted the Goblin King once and would hopefully do so again.

Caspar's living arrangements were comfortable, if suitably modest, and practical with the two bedroom clergy house attached to the church. He offered Billie the spare bedroom and Jude the couch. Her parents weren't happy when she called them up and told them she and Sarah would be staying out all night. But as she was technically an adult, there wasn't much they could do about it. Father Stack retired to bed as he needed to be up bright and early the next morning for Mass. After watching his friend and the young lady exchange furtive glances, he made it clear he couldn't sanction any romantic shenanigans by unmarried persons under his roof. Jude firmly assured him there would be nothing untoward occurring, despite the mutual attraction he and Billie felt for each other. His main priority was for her continued well-being and safety.

"I'm depriving you of your bed," she murmured guiltily from under a tartan blanket.

She'd been reluctant to leave his company for the spare bedroom, even though she was exhausted.

Jude didn't mind as he'd comfortably reclined in a nearby armchair. He felt he could have slept on a clothesline, he was so weary. "Don't you worry about me, just go back to sleep," he said as he opened one eye to double check his weapons were within easy reach.

Billie eased herself up slightly so she could reach over and cover his hand with hers. "It's funny the things that bring two people together. I wish we'd met under pleasanter circumstances, but I'll never be sorry we did meet."

He entwined his fingers with hers and smiled. "Neither will I."

The clock on the mantle ticked rhythmically towards midnight as they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

It took Sarah a moment to realise what was happening to her as the scenery around her began to fade away. Jareth wore a furious expression as she disappeared which indicated her transportation wasn't his doing. Perhaps he didn't have any power over her after all, she pondered. At least, not enough to keep her with him against her will. As the drunken goblins and the bonfire faded from her sight, Dracula's dusty candlelit lair came into focus. She jerked her head around, half expecting the Count to be lying in wait for her. Thankfully, she found the room deserted. The candles, which had been left to burn unattended, were almost spent. She heard the laboured ticking of an antiquated Grandfather clock that told her it was five-past-midnight, and Sarah had no wish to linger. Making her way over to the door, she pressed an ear to it. The place remained eerily quiet except for the creaking and cracking noises old houses make. She tentatively tried the doorknob and, to her relief, found it unlocked. Glancing down, she remembered her own clothing had been taken from her, along with the sacramental wafers in her pocket. If she could have scattered some around the place and find where Dracula rested, she might have been able to corrupt his sanctuary. He probably owned other houses, but it would help to deprive him of this one at least. She let out a sigh of frustration.

"Sarah?"

A familiar voice came from somewhere close behind her and made her start. She shushed him, fearful the Count would hear.

"There is no need for concealment," the Goblin King insisted with his customary arrogance. "The vampire is an impudent dog, but he's no match for me."

Sarah hitched up the hem of her gown to keep from tripping on it as she reached again for the doorknob.

"And where do you think you're going?" Jareth questioned as he swiftly weaved around her, blocking her exit.

She bobbed from side to side, attempting to dodge him, but he wasn't to be outwitted. "If you had any power to keep me in your kingdom, I'm sure I'd still be there, whether I wanted to be or not," she ranted fiercely prodding at his shoulder.

He looked chastened for a moment.

Sarah suddenly had to stifle a yawn and realised how weary she'd become. She felt far too tired to be doing battle with the Goblin King. "I really need to find my friends and hopefully get some sleep."

His expression soured. "Why do these people matter to you?" Jareth inquired. "You hardly know them. Why would you place yourself in such peril for near-strangers?"

Sarah didn't view her situation in those terms. She barely knew Jude, that much was true. But during their short acquaintance, he'd demonstrated honour and bravery, and his innate decency shone through. Her friendship with Billie went deeper than the few days they'd spent in each other's company. Who else could she have trusted with the secret of her time in the Labyrinth? Sarah would fear for her sanity without having Billie to confide in. Irene and her father wouldn't have understood and Toby was too young to grasp the complexity of her feelings on the matter. Truth be told, she didn't want to hurt her brother by telling him about her wish. "You can't put a price on friendship," she argued when she noticed the Goblin King expectantly awaiting her reply.

"Friendship?" Jareth winced as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth. "Where were they when you were in the clutches of that foul bloodsucker?" He sneered. "I am the only  _friend_  you need."

Weariness and irritation over his possessiveness riled her temper. "I wouldn't expect you to understand," she said jabbing at his chest with her index finger. "You threw Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus into your dungeons when their only crime had been helping me. I didn't even get a chance to see them before I left, or to check if they're gonna be okay," she lamented.

The Goblin King narrowed his eyes, his displeasure evident. It was a silent warning she should proceed with caution. "Their crime was disobeying their king," he reminded her. "And if you're so concerned about them, perhaps you should be nicer to me, or I might be tempted to lock them up again."

Sarah took a deep breath, not wishing to anger him any further or give him cause to carry out his threat. Whatever the limits of his power over her, he was still a magical being and not to be trifled with, she'd learned that much. But something had been niggling at her and she couldn't let it go. "You lead me to believe I couldn't leave your kingdom without your say so, why did you do that?" It wasn't as if she'd hated being back in his world, she had been rather enjoying it. But she would have appreciated it more if she'd known she had the freedom to go at a time of her choosing and wasn't there as a potential prisoner.

"Tell me whose face you saw in the bonfire and I'll answer your question," Jareth challenged as he leant back against the door to prevent her from leaving, never one to give anything away without expecting something in return.

Sarah really was exhausted and, risking his wrath, she refused to play his silly games. "It's late," she sighed. "Please, let me pass, so I can go find my friends."

Outside, the night air might have been balmy, but inside Dracula's dank lair it felt distinctly chilly. The red velvet gown he'd clothed her in offered little in the way of warmth with its plunging neckline and lack of sleeves. She shivered involuntarily and hugged herself, rubbing at her goose-pimpled arms to generate heat. The Goblin King regarded her with a pitying look and with a wave of his hand, he conjured up a black velvet cloak to cover her.

"Thank you," Sarah gasped with a grateful smile as she wrapped herself up in it.

The flickering light from the candelabras began to dim as one by one the wicks burned out, leaving only dripping puddles of wax. "I don't suppose you could magic up a torch as well, could you?" She asked, only half joking. It appeared likely, as the house seemed to be in danger of falling down around them, that she would never find her way in the dark without risk of serious injury. "If I could have my own clothes back too, that would be a big help." Tired as she was, Sarah wanted something useful to come from being captured by Dracula. Recovering the sacramental wafers would be a start.

"You have no need of either," Jareth said maintaining his obstructive stance to be sure she couldn't escape.

Sarah thought about trying to pry the boards from the window as she could see no other exit besides the door. It occurred to her she could set the room on fire by igniting the dusty furniture with the remaining candles. Fire would cleanse it and render the house useless to the Count. She felt fairly certain the Goblin King wouldn't let her burn to death. But without knowing where the house was situated, she didn't want to risk injuring or killing anyone else if the blaze spread. She stifled another yawn and huffed with impatience. If nothing could be done to hinder Dracula, then all she wanted was to make sure Billie and Jude were okay, and then hopefully get some sleep. "I'd really love to get to bed," she sighed.

"Why didn't you say so sooner, my precious one?" Jareth's odd eyes twinkled with mischief and he gave her a wicked smile. "You would look delightful tangled up in my satin sheets," he purred seductively.

Sarah blushed profusely, trying to blot the image he'd conjured up out of her mind.

Somewhere beneath them, they heard the echoing sound of a door slamming shut. It sent a shot of fear through her, and Sarah looked around for something to arm herself with. The Goblin King had declared himself capable of protecting her, but she didn't want to rely on him again, not when he wanted something in return she wasn't yet ready to give. She spotted an iron poker by the fireplace and went to grab it.

"What are you doing?" Jareth's expression betrayed a hint of concern at her choice of weapon, which didn't go unnoticed.

Sarah moved as close as he would allow her to the door. "I'm not gonna give Dracula another chance to get his fangs into me," she hissed in hushed tones so as not to alert whoever had entered the house to her presence.

"Don't be ridiculous," Jareth scolded her, unafraid of discovery. "Do you think I would allow such a thing to happen?"

"If you're willing to put an end to him for free, then please, be my guest," Sarah said maintaining her defensive stance and keeping the sharp end of the poker pointed in his direction. "If not, step aside, unless you want to risk being impaled on an iron spike."

Jude claimed that iron could be fatal to fae and vampires. The wariness in the Goblin' King's eyes led her to believe the myth might be true.

"Put that down, agree to be my wife and queen, and I shall vanquish the foul fiend for you," Jareth promised.

Sarah's courage faltered as the sound of creaking footsteps outside the door drew closer. How could she ever hope to kill a creature with the strength of twenty men? But then again, how could she agree to marry someone she barely knew and didn't trust? "If you cared anything for me at all, you'd help without expecting anything in return," she wailed, her green eyes turned watery as fear and weariness threatened to overcome her.

The Goblin King exploded with fury. "If I cared for you?" His words were sharper than a paper cut. "Have I not made it clear that I want you to be mine? Tell me it wasn't my face you saw in the flames, go on, deny it if you dare. You know as well as I do, we are meant to be together forever."

For a moment Sarah forgot everything, except how annoyed she was with him.

"I didn't see anything in that bonfire, least of all your stupid face," she lied.

The doorknob began to turn and panic swelled in her chest. She started to back away, her fiery determination deserting her in the face of possible death. The cloak Jareth provided did nothing to quell her shaking. Her hands began to tremble so badly, she lost her grip on the poker and it fell with a heavy clunk onto the dusty wooden floor. "I don't want to die," she whimpered.

Before she could stoop to retrieve the poker, strong arms grabbed her in a tight embrace. A sparkling whirlwind encircled them as the Goblin King carried her away.

" _Come into my arms and let me show you the way."_

Billie writhed around in her sleep as her evil dream master attempted to coax her to him.

" _Perhaps I should go to Greenwich, what say you? I could pay my respects to your family. If they will not invite me in, I shall find another way. I have all the time in the world."_

Dracula's wicked cackle echoed through her mind. He intended to give her no peace until she joined him, one way or another.

" _Come outside, my dear, stop fighting and accept your destiny."_

The compulsion to obey became overpowering. Billie wasn't prone to wandering in her sleep, but she couldn't stop herself from rising up from the couch. She wasn't sure of her state of consciousness; it felt as if she'd been trapped inside her dream, and yet there was a degree of awareness regarding her surroundings. Opening the front door carefully, so as not to wake Jude, she stepped out barefoot into the moonlit night. Somehow, she knew exactly where to go, even without his voice to guide her. The Count stayed in the shadows until she reached him. Face to face, at last, he stepped out to greet her with a toothy smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I Will Possess Your Heart is a song by Death Cab For Cutie.
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and please do keep the comments coming - Mrs P.


	11. Bad Blood

Sarah couldn't see where they'd landed with her cloak billowing up over her face. The Goblin King's means of transporting them being unnecessarily dramatic and breezy. She expected to find herself back inside his castle, but when she looked around, she was astonished to find an equally bemused Jude staring up at her. He rubbed his eyes, convinced he must be dreaming as he took in the surreal sight of Sarah and the Goblin King casually stood in the middle of the living room. Turning to the couch and expecting Billie to be similarly dumbstruck, he grew wide-eyed in alarm to find it empty. She could have gone to use the bathroom or decided to go and sleep in the spare room, he supposed. Both possibilities were reasonable assumptions to make, and yet he felt uneasy.

"Did you see where she went?" Jude questioned as he jumped to his feet and grabbed a weapon from his bag. Eyeing the Goblin King warily, he edged towards the stairs.

"Billie's missing?" Sarah felt her stomach lurch as panic gripped her. Sensing that his royal highness didn't care to be ignored, even when other matters rightly took precedence over introductions, she called after Jude, "This is Jareth, by the way."

"And you may address me as your Majesty," the Goblin King added.

Sarah scowled at him, but he remained unapologetic.

"Only you are permitted to call me by my given name," he clarified as he surveyed the room with a critical eye.

Jareth obviously intended her to take that as a sign he held her in high regard. However, anxiety prevented her from giving the matter deeper examination as she hovered at the foot of the stairs waiting for Jude to reappear. The crucifixes on the wall and Catholic Church paraphernalia led her to assume they were in Father Stack's house. Sure enough, the priest soon appeared, having been awoken by the commotion. His irritated expression turned to one of bemusement as he took in the flamboyant appearance of the Goblin King and his would-be queen.

"What the devil?" Caspar exclaimed.

"Not quite," Jareth smirked as he picked up a leather-bound Bible and idly flicked through it without glancing at the pages. "As Shakespeare once said; there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy." He dropped the book onto the sideboard.

Before the perturbed priest could respond, Jude came tearing down the stairs.

"Billie's gone," he shrieked his face white with fear as the dreadful possibilities dawned on him.

Sarah shuddered.

"If no one invited Dracula in, he must have drawn Billie out somehow," Jude reasoned, giving voice to her thoughts. He opened the front door and began frantically scouring up and down the street for any clues.

Father Stack pulled a wooden crucifix from the wall, apparently not worried about being clad only in his pyjamas, and rushed to help with the search. Sarah prepared to do likewise when Jareth grabbed her by the arm.

"Your  _friends_ did not appear to be as troubled by your absence. Not one of them inquired if you were well or where you'd been," he chided, not caring that they'd both been occupied with more pressing concerns.

"Thank you for returning me to them," she said determined to be polite despite her desperation to join the others. "I'm sure they could see I was in no danger. Billie, on the other hand, could be in serious trouble." Sarah tried to pull free from his grasp, but he held fast.

"Come with me," the Goblin King begged, "Be my Queen, and put an end to my unbearable solitude."

There was such loneliness in his odd eyes, her heart ached for him. His lips descended on hers and she got lost in his kiss until the sound of an anguished masculine howl pierced the cool night air. Sarah broke free from Jareth's embrace and ran in the direction of the commotion as fast as her jewelled shoes would allow. Around the corner, on the next street, was the entrance to the church cemetery. The wrought iron gates were padlocked, but to the side of them, a section of flimsy wire fencing had been torn away. Under the arched entryway, two silhouettes, she identified as Jude and Father Stack were stood in defensive postures. A scene of horror awaited her as she caught up to them. For there, a short distance ahead of them, the dark figure of the Count held a limp Billie in his deadly embrace. They were half in shadow but by the pale moonlight, their friend's mouth appeared to be smeared with blood.

Dracula positively dripped with triumphant glee. "It was all too easy," he boasted as the girl in his arms slowly began to regain her senses.

"Oh no, oh God, what have I done?" Billie whimpered as she gagged at the metallic taste on her tongue.

"Do not be afeared," the Count murmured as he softly brushed aside her dark tresses to reveal her slender neck.

The three onlookers cried out in despair at the sight of two distinct puncture marks made by his fangs.

"You were kind enough to offer me refreshment and I returned the favour," Dracula held up his wrist so they could see the congealed blood of his slash wound.

Billie furiously shook her head, not wanting to believe it.

"The blood is the life!" the Count gleefully exclaimed.

Wide-eyed and white as a ghost, Father Stack shakily held his crucifix aloft. "Only God is the giver of life," he declared his voice cracking under the weight of the vampire's withering glare.

"Let her go," Jude demanded his voice cool and controlled. The strain of keeping the hand he held Jonathan Harker's kukri in steady, made the veins in his neck bulge.

The Count saw his fear and answered with a snort of derision. His amusement swiftly turned to menace as demonic red fire lit his eyes. "Ah, Van Helsing's kinsman, we meet at last," his false charm morphing into an evil sneer. "You are too late to save her," he hissed his exposed fangs glinting in the moonlight.

Father Stack clutched his rosary beads and began fervently praying.

Sarah feared Dracula meant to kill them all. He radiated fury, and he'd already confided in her his murderous intentions towards Jude during her time as his captive. His hypnotic gaze fell upon her as if he could read her thoughts, and her mind began to cloud.

"Come hither," he beckoned all the while keeping his tight hold around Billie's neck.

Sarah couldn't fight the compulsion to step forward but Jude immediately blocked her path by placing himself between her and the Count.

"I hope you recognise this weapon and the significance of me choosing it," he said holding the kukri up in a threatening pose so the vampire could get a good look at it.

Billie sucked in a breath, terrified of what might happen next.

Dracula let out a cackle of mocking laughter before fixing Jude with a deadly glare. "I could snap her neck as if it were a twig, as I could yours." His diabolic smile died on his lips as a glittery figure materialised before him. He drew back slightly and hissed like a startled cat. "Sprite," he addressed the haughty Goblin King, "You have returned."

Sarah gasped with relief to see Jareth hadn't abandoned them.

"I am a king," he impatiently informed the vampire, "And you would do well to address me as such."

The Count refused to be humbled and turned his attention back to Billie. "Come, my dear," he meant it as an order, not an invitation. "This world, to which I have been reborn, is crying out for salvation. Only we can give the people what they so desperately want."

Weakened by blood loss, she couldn't put up much of a struggle against his supernatural might.

"Jareth, please," Sarah implored him to intervene.

The Goblin King wore his familiar bored expression but decided to indulge her. In a glittering flash, he transported Billie into Jude's arms, leaving Dracula to growl in frustration.

"It is no matter," the Count sneered. "What has been done cannot be undone. You belong to me now, body and soul."

"God, no," Billie wept as Father Stack gazed upon her with pity and fear.

"Begone, vampire," Jareth commanded as he summoned forth a light-filled crystal and began twirling it in impossible ways.

Sarah hoped he would use it to kill the Count and end their misery, but he didn't.

Dracula shrank away slightly and prepared for a dignified retreat. "Very well, have it your way," he spat. Turning once more to Billie, he delivered his parting shot. "This is only the beginning for us, my child. There can be no escape now and you know it. I shall return for you in three days, and you will come willingly, or else I'll kill everyone you hold dear." Dracula evaporated into a puff of smoke before their eyes. A bat emerged from the mist and flew off into the night sky.

Father Stack continued to pray as Jude held an inconsolable Billie to his chest. Sarah didn't hesitate when Jareth held his arms open for her, grateful for the comfort as she wept against the ruffles of his shirt. The five of them were a forlorn bunch as they trooped back to the clergy house.

As they reached the door, the Goblin King tugged on Sarah's hand to prevent her from following the other's inside. "I cannot stay," he said twirling his wrist to reveal the light-filled crystal ball, which he then handed to her.

"Will it kill him?" She inquired as she carefully inspected it.

Jareth shook his head. "If that foul creature returns during the night, it will weaken him like the sun's rays. You must smash the crystal to release the light inside but the effect won't last long. It's a good thing you can run fast," he taunted, recalling her time in the Labyrinth.

"Please, you have to kill him, for me," Sarah begged, knowing he wouldn't do it for Billie's sake.

She looked pale with exhaustion, and he tenderly caressed her cheek with a gloved hand. "You know my price for performing such a feat," Jareth firmly reminded her.

As tired and sorrowful as she felt, her anger flared. "You're no better than Dracula," Sarah raged. "You say you care for me but all you want is to make me yours."

"Is what I'm asking really so repulsive to you? You are fortunate to have a choice in the matter," he snapped, clearly vexed.

She always felt in over her head when confronted with his mercurial temper. But, if nothing else, it did usually serve to provoke a defiant response from her. "I'm glad I do have the power to refuse you, even if I don't completely understand how I have it. I mean, you drag me off to your kingdom and make me believe I'm trapped there only for me to get pulled back here. It doesn't sound like you can simply take me again without my agreement. And what the heck does a Goblin Queen do anyway? Would I have to steal babies, because I'm telling you straight, that's never gonna happen."

The Goblin King took her hand even as she tried to pull it away, and planted a soft kiss over her fingers. He really did care for her. Too much to let her go, despite the consequences. "You should get some sleep, my love," he said releasing her and taking a step back. "I shall return in, shall we say, thirteen hours with a formal offer of marriage and answers to all of your questions. You do deserve to know the precise nature of the union you would be entering into. I fear you are too fatigued at present to wrap that pretty little head of yours around the finer details of such an arrangement. I simply ask you to consider my offer and how little I am asking for in return."

She'd heard similar words from him before. The little things he'd wanted from her three years ago were nothing of the sort, not by her estimation. Sarah started to protest but he waved her words away.

"Go to your friends," Jareth instructed preparing to take his leave and he gave her hand one last tender kiss. "Would being my queen really be so terrible?"

His words lingered even as he faded from sight.

"Damn him," Sarah grumbled frustrated at being left to wrestle with such a big dilemma on top of everything else.

How unfair of the Goblin King to make her decide not only her own fate but her friend's too. Now she'd let him back into her life, he would clearly never stop trying to turn her misery to his advantage. To tell him to go to hell would be to condemn her friend to it. It had turned two in the morning and they were exhausted but too wired to sleep. Jude had a desperate need to do something useful and he questioned Sarah about her time in Dracula's clutches. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to add much to what they already knew. Billie sat in silence, managing the occasional sip of sweet tea. The puncture wounds in her neck had closed and her pulse was steady. Medical assistance wouldn't have been able to do anything for her condition. As the clock ticked on, they decided to try and get some rest. Jude hoped Billie's dreams would aid them. But feeling drained in body and spirit, she wished only for peaceful slumber and some respite from her nightmares. She decided to take the spare room, shunning all offers of companionship. Caspar gave up his bed for Sarah and slept downstairs on the couch with Jude in the armchair. Each of them lay wallowing in their own private torment, not yet defeated, but needing time to lick their wounds.

* * *

Bright sunshine woke them one by one from their fitful, and too fleeting, slumber. Father Stack hovered awkwardly outside his bedroom door. He wasn't comfortable with the thought of having a woman in his bed, even if his vows had not been compromised. It seemed a small matter to be concerned about in the scheme of things, but he didn't want to think about the big stuff. The existence of vampires and Goblin Kings shook his world, even if they didn't diminish his faith. Prayer was all he needed, he assured himself, and perhaps some time for quiet reflection. But first, he required his clothing. Once he had his clergy collar safely around his neck, he felt sure everything would make sense again.

Sarah had been awake and counting down the hours to Jareth's return when she heard a light knock at the door. No one attempted to enter and so she got up, still wearing the red velvet gown from the previous night. "Father, is something the matter?" she greeted the priest as he sheepishly loitered on the threshold, unable to meet her eye.

"Sorry to disturb you, but I have mass and I really must prepare," he explained trying to avoid her gaze, which led him to unintentionally cast his eyes upon her bosom and he blushed profusely.

She bit back a smirk and grabbed her cloak and shoes. "Of course, I'll get right out of your way," Sarah said scooting off to use the bathroom.

It had just gone eight in the morning by Caspar's bedside clock which, by her reckoning, left almost seven hours until the Goblin King's return. Flushing the toilet, she flipped the lid down and sat with her head in her hands. The light-filled crystal ball Jareth gave her, lay at her feet wrapped up in her black velvet cloak. She carefully uncovered it and stared intently into the orb as if the answers to her troubles could be found there. The sound of knocking startled her, and she almost dropped it. Recovering the crystal with a sigh of relief, she opened the bathroom door to find Billie standing there, her face deathly pale, making the blue of her veins stand out. "Sorry, but I really need to go," she insisted waiting for her friend to vacate the room before locking herself in.

"We need to talk," Sarah said through the door.

Billie emerged a short while later; the dark shadows around her dull eyes gave them a hollow appearance in contrast to the whiteness of her skin.

"Let's go get some coffee," Sarah suggested taking her by the arm. "I know I could sure use some."

The few hours of sleep they'd managed proved inadequate to refresh them, and it wasn't as if they'd enjoyed restful slumber. Jude certainly looked the worse for wear. His usually youthful features were lined with worry and his eyes were bloodshot. He fumbled for his glasses, which he'd discarded on the sideboard next to the armchair. "Did you get anything from your dreams?" He inquired hopefully as Billie descended the stairs, frowning with disappointment as she shook her head.

The kettle began to boil as Father Stack rattled around in the kitchen.

"I'm grateful to you all, but I can't stay here," Billie said in a quiet voice as she began frantically checking through her pockets for her car keys. She glanced uneasily at the religious symbols adorning the walls and edged away from them. The poison that was Dracula's blood had already begun working its way through her veins. Shrugging off her friend's attempts to comfort her, she made for the door. "I've put you all in enough danger," she cried. "I won't have your blood on my hands too."

Sarah grabbed hold of Billie's arm and refused to let go as Jude barred the exit. "I won't let you give up, do you hear?" She forced her friend to meet her eye. "The Goblin King gave me something that might help," she held up the crystal. "This will weaken Dracula if he tries to strike again under the cover of darkness." She paused, not sure if she should reveal his proposal.

Without being in full possession of the facts, she didn't know if she could agree to his terms, whatever they were. Yes, she had seen his face in the bonfire as her future spouse, but that didn't mean anything. It could have been trickery on his part, and even if it wasn't, it was no guarantee of a happy ending. Billie looked so forlorn that Sarah wanted to offer her some glimmer of hope. Could she accept Jareth's proposal to save her friend's life? It was a lot to ask, but perhaps she could barter over the terms and play for time. However, the Goblin King was far too canny to kill Dracula without getting some kind of binding agreement from her in return. But, if he wanted her as much as he claimed, he might be willing to negotiate. Sarah halted her internal debate when she noted the other three sets of eyes in the room were gazing hopefully in her direction. "Um, I might be able to strike a bargain which would rid you of Dracula forever," she spoke hesitantly, knowing Billie would likely object. "Jareth will return in a little over six hours," Sarah continued. "You've seen something of the power he possesses, he's way stronger than a vampire," she argued.

"He would kill Dracula?" Jude questioned.

"For a price," Sarah said as she met her friend's disapproving gaze.

"I told you before, I don't want you trading your soul for mine," Billie scowled.

Father Stack brought a clinking tray of coffee cups over to the table and set it down. His hands were shaking due to the tense atmosphere in the room.

"First, let us replenish our bodies and then we can tend to our souls," he counselled.

"I don't think God has the answers this time," Jude scoffed, immediately regretting his harsh tone when he saw his friend's hurt expression.

"He's never let me down yet," Caspar said as he continued to tend to breakfast.

Billie moved away from the door and slumped down on the couch. She didn't want to be unkind, even in her state of abject misery, but she was in no mood to humour her host. "I don't have my great-great-grandmother's faith, I wish I did," she lamented angrily yanking at the crucifix around her neck. "This is useless; I don't know why I'm still wearing it."

"It isn't a fashion accessory," Father Stack rebuked his sharp tone causing Jude to cast a harsh glare in his direction.

Tempers were frayed, and as a priest, it was his job to pour oil on troubled waters. Caspar offered an apology and sought to beat a hasty retreat. "I really must be getting next door to prepare for mass. Please, do come, all of you. I will pray with you," he entreated them. "God is our refuge and strength, a present help in all our troubles."

His three guests thanked him for his hospitality and politely declined to join him. Sarah longed to change into some of her own clothes, not wanting to face Jareth again wearing a gown he'd conjured up. Billie reluctantly agreed to go back to Greenwich. She desperately wanted to see her family, but she now regarded herself as tainted and she didn't want to doom them too. If she couldn't save her own soul, she could at least save theirs.

Jude attempted to surreptitiously observe her in the rear-view mirror as he drove them to her home. But he couldn't conceal his concern over her pale appearance and what Dracula's blood was doing to her. "I have to hypnotise you again," he insisted as Billie frowned at the idea. "We have to find out where the Count is and what his plans are."

"And then what are we gonna do?" Sarah questioned. Risking falling into Dracula's grasp again wasn't a good plan, especially not if there were better options.

"I don't know," Billie said as she turned to her friend. "But there is one thing I do know for sure; this is my mess and I am going to be the one to fix it."

 _We'll just see about that,_ Sarah plotted as she checked the clock. In six hours, the Goblin King might make her an offer she couldn't refuse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are a few songs with the title Bad Blood, but for this chapter, I'm thinking of Bad Blood by Alison Mosshart and Eric Arjes. It was used in an episode of The Walking Dead and I think it's fitting for the way Billie feels towards the end of this chapter.
> 
> Please do leave a review and thanks for reading. - Mrs P.


	12. The Devil's In The Detail

Arriving back in Greenwich to an empty house, Billie felt relief at not having to face her family. Her stepmother had left a note on the kitchen counter saying she and Stephen had gone to stay with her parents in the country for a couple of days. Her father had been called away to New York on urgent business and wouldn't be home until after the weekend. It put her family out of harm's way for the immediate future, which was one weight off Billie's mind. Jude had been eager to try hypnosis again even though Dracula would most likely be inactive during the day. But if Billie could pick up some small clue to assist them it would be worthwhile. She wearily complied, desperate to get it over with as quickly as possible and it didn't take long for Jude to put her into a trance. However, as expected, all she could sense was the vampire at rest in his lair. After some discussion, they agreed to try again later. The three of them were in dire need of rest and recuperation. Sarah decided against attempting to nap in favour of a long soak in a hot bath. There had barely been time for her to catch her breath and Jareth would be back to call on her before she knew it.

Billie's vanity unit wasn't too dissimilar from the one in her own bedroom, and Sarah was glad of some sense of familiarity as she brushed out her freshly blow-dried hair. Glancing over at the bed where she had laid out the nicest dress she'd brought with her, she wondered if it would be going overboard. But she felt certain the Goblin King would arrive in all his finery, and she didn't want to let the side down. Sarah told herself that if she was making an effort it was purely for her own self-esteem, and not because she wanted to impress Jareth. Disconcertingly, the fancy clothing and shoes he'd conjured up for her when he'd whisked her away to his kingdom had disintegrated into glittery dust the second she removed them. It was as if she had somehow broken the spell by taking them off. The light-filled crystal ball he'd gifted her remained intact, although she still expected it to pop like a soap bubble at any moment. Evidently, Jareth's magic did have its limits.

"You're going to an awful lot of trouble just to tell him to get lost," Billie sneered as she leaned against the doorjamb watching as her friend carefully applied her makeup.

Sarah pursed her lips and tried to keep her temper in check. "I intend to hear him out, I told you that," she stated while carefully dusting on her face powder.

The room fell silent except for the clicking of the clock on the nightstand. Time was slipping away as the numbers intermittently flipped over, bringing the Goblin King's arrival ever closer. Billie had flopped face down onto her bed and it appeared she'd fallen asleep. Sarah blotted her lipstick on a tissue and eyed the bottle of Calvin Klein's Eternity in her vanity case. A quick spritz of her new favourite fragrance wouldn't hurt, she reasoned.

"Do you want to know what I think?"

Her friend's voice startled her and she almost dropped the bottle.

"I thought you were sleeping," Sarah gasped as she recovered herself.

Billie sat up so they were eye to eye. "I think you want to be the Goblin Queen." There was spite in her words and harshness in her eyes, but her voice remained calm and measured. "You've wanted it - him, all along, and this is the perfect excuse. You can play the hero and the martyr at the same time, just like you did when you wished Toby away."

Sarah could feel her face heating up as righteous anger burned inside her. How could her friend say such a thing? Of all the ungrateful, insensitive… She opened her mouth to let loose a tirade, but thought better of it and decided to bite her tongue instead. Billie wasn't herself; Dracula's poison had got to work in her veins. Even if she did secretly harbour such thoughts, she would never have crassly spoken them out loud without his evil influence. The Billie she'd come to know wouldn't intentionally be so cruel. It wouldn't be fair to hold her accountable for things she wasn't able to control. Besides, her words wouldn't have stung so much unless they held a grain of truth. Sarah couldn't deny she'd fantasised about becoming Goblin Queen. But it was one thing to imagine it, and quite another to make it a reality. "We've been through this," she said determined to keep her cool and be practical. "I'm going to hear what he has to say, that's all. With things the way they are, it would be stupid not to explore every avenue open to us," she insisted.

"Haven't I made myself clear? This is my problem and I will deal with it," Billie snarled, a feral look in her eyes.

It alarmed Sarah to see the transforming effects of Dracula's blood taking hold. How long would they have before the venom inside took her over completely? Mina Harker had almost reached the point of no return a month after being infected. The Count had set them a grim deadline, regardless.

"Have you forgotten, I almost got bitten too? If not for Jareth, I'd be in the same predicament as you," Sarah reminded her. "None of us will be safe while ever Dracula lives."

Despondently, Billie fell back onto her bed. "I'm so tired," she whimpered.

"Then get some sleep," Sarah went to her friend's side and tenderly stroked her dark brown hair. "We will find a way through this, together," she vowed.

"I'm sorry I've been such a bitch," Billie's eyes shone with tears. "I'm so afraid of what I'm turning into," she wept.

Sarah hugged her tight and murmured words of comfort. Blinking back her own tears in an attempt to preserve her makeup, she gently rocked her friend to sleep. She needed to stay strong and clear-headed to deal with the Goblin King.

She found Jude slumped over his books and journals when she got downstairs. He had set up camp at the kitchen table and weariness had obviously got the better of him. It wasn't the most comfortable of positions to sleep in, but she didn't want to disturb him. Rest was hard enough to come by in their present circumstances and she didn't need another lecture about Jareth. Sarah stifled a yawn, wishing she could join her friends in the Land of Nod. The ticking of the clock on the wall told her that was impossible. In ten minutes, the Goblin King was due to reappear and her stomach began fluttering in nervous anticipation. She stepped out onto the garden patio, welcoming the feel of the fresh breeze against her skin. All at once, the sky seemed to darken and slate grey clouds rolled in, threatening rain. A sudden flash of lightning made her jump and as she looked up to the heavens, she saw a barn owl appear. She watched in awe as the graceful and beautiful creature spiralled towards her on silent wings. Another blue flash lit up the sky, and in the time it took to blink, she found the Goblin King standing before her in all his glory.

"Hello, Sarah," he greeted her with a seductive smile. His eyes moved appreciatively over her peach coloured dress; it was a 1950s swing style with a flared skirt and tight bodice. The sweetheart neckline and off the shoulder sleeves flattered her figure without being too revealing. It pleased him to see her agog over his appearance. Gone were his flamboyant otherworldly fashions, and in their place, he wore a simple charcoal suit with a light blue striped shirt. His usually flowing golden hair appeared now to be collar length, swept back at the front. "I thought we could go out to dinner." The Goblin King suppressed a smirk at the way she was positively drooling over him.

Sarah shook herself from her trance. "Dinner?" She questioned, thrown off balance by how delicious he looked.

"Isn't it a mortal custom to propose marriage in an overpriced restaurant?" He inquired with amusement.

Her eyebrows shot up; she supposed it did often happen that way. It wasn't what she'd been expecting from the Goblin King, though. Sarah's gaze drifted back to the house and Billie's bedroom window. Her friend needed her to keep a clear head, she couldn't afford to get carried away with romantic notions. "Looks like it's gonna rain," she pointed towards the storm clouds. "How about we take shelter and then you can answer some of my questions like you promised."

Jareth tilted his head up towards the sky and smiled. "Would my future-queen prefer sunshine?" With a wave of his hand, the clouds scattered to reveal clear blue sky.

Sarah let out a gasp, he constantly surprised her and, at the same time, he frustrated her too. The power the Goblin King wielded could solve all her problems. He knew it and he was determined to hold her to ransom for it. There was an arbour seat set among a trellis of white roses and lavender at the bottom of the garden. She took his hand and led him to it so they could sit and talk. "I hope Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus are okay," she fretted frowning with concern. Her mortal friends were her priority, but that didn't mean she'd forgotten about her underground comrades and their lengthy incarceration. "I'm almost tempted to ask you to take me to see them," she said not content to take his word for it.

"The only way you can return to my kingdom now is if you become my queen," the Goblin King earnestly informed her.

"But you took me there last night," Sarah puzzled not understanding why he couldn't just whisk her away again.

"There are ways and means," Jareth enigmatically declared. "Four times a year, the veil between your world and mine is thin enough for me to pull you through it without your consent. One of those times is Litha or Midsummer if you prefer," he explained and then began to fidget uneasily. "I am not yet so far gone as to take you by force."

"When you say take me by force…?" Sarah trailed off unable to give voice to the things she'd read about how the fae could enslave mortals by having sex with them.

Jareth scowled at her lack of faith in him. "I really would be no better than the vampire if I used that method to get what I wanted," he professed. In his opinion, his restraint deserved to be rewarded. Due to his regard for her, he was going against his true nature.

From the little she knew about his kind, it appeared he was at least attempting to be honourable in his own way. However, striking a bargain with such a creature, let alone contemplating marriage to one, wasn't to be entered into lightly. Aside from anything else, they barely knew each other.

"You know the reasons for what I want, but why do you want to marry me?" Sarah inquired. Was it because she'd beaten him? As a king, and a handsome one at that, he surely wasn't lacking in admirers. Modesty prevented her from believing she could ever hold his attention for so long if not for her victory over him.

Jareth scrutinised her in an owl-like way, calling to mind his feathery alter ego. "It isn't so much that I want to marry you," he eventually admitted, frowning. "Rather, I've come to realise I have no choice but to make you my wife."

His gaze was so intense Sarah was forced to look away.

"I don't understand," she spluttered feeling the urge to run from him as fast as she could, and yet she did not. Magic wasn't preventing her this time. She knew she had to stay and face her fears.

The Goblin King stood up and held his hand out to her. "Come, let us go for a walk. I have a story to tell you."

Sarah hesitated and then she saw Jude striding out through the patio doors towards them.

"Is everything alright?" He asked, warily eyeing the fae king.

Jareth regarded the young man as an unwelcome intruder and didn't hide his impatience. "We are going for a walk and you are not invited," he sharply announced.

Jude ignored the king's rudeness and focused his attention on Sarah. He didn't say another word but he stood his ground and waited for her to respond. She knew he probably had something up his sleeve, quite possibly one of his iron daggers. There was no occasion for any unpleasantness, she would hear Jareth out. They still needed his help after all, if it could be negotiated.

"I'll be fine," she assured Jude. "Take care of Billie, and don't push her too hard. She's already changing and she knows it."

Reluctant as he was to let her go, desperate times called for desperate measures.

Sarah took Jareth's hand and they vanished into thin air.

"I know this place," she exclaimed as they rematerialized in a spot close to the River Thames.

The Cutty Sark clipper ship was dry docked a short distance ahead. It was one of the places she'd visited with Billie a few days before, although it felt much longer ago than that. Near to where they'd landed stood a small circular building with a domed glass roof. The sign informed her it was the entrance to the Greenwich foot tunnel, a walkway that ran beneath the river.

"There is a pretty-ish park we can take a turn in while I tell you my story, shall we?" Jareth held out his arm in invitation.

Sarah declined to take it and he didn't press the matter. The two of them set off walking side-by-side at a steady pace, unremarkable to passers-by except for being a good looking couple. "I thought you were gonna tell me why you have to marry me. I don't have time to waste listening to you spin fairy stories," she complained, impatient for answers.

"I will come to that," Jareth brusquely retorted giving her an icy glare. "To understand the present one must have some knowledge of the past." He ignored the rolling of her eyes and began his tale. "Once upon a time there were two brothers. The eldest was named Alaric and the youngest, Rodwin. They were the children of the High King and Queen of the Underground and, unusually for our kind, the brothers were close in age. As they grew, Alaric and Rodwin became fierce rivals. The two of them fought over everything, especially the affection of their parents. Eventually, and fatefully, they both fell in love with the same highborn lady. Rodwin was the spare, not the heir, and the throne wasn't his birthright. However, considering himself to be the most handsome of the pair, he sought to steal away all of his brother's romantic conquests. This caused much friction between the siblings, even though no serious attachments were broken. Then along came Lady Clarinda; the most dazzling creature they had ever set eyes upon. With her flowing golden hair, pale blue eyes and radiant beauty, she stole the hearts of both brothers. She was considered a suitable match for Alaric, as heir to the high throne. Rodwin, being the younger sibling, was expected to set aside his interest but he found he could not. For her part, Lady Clarinda fell head over heels with Rodwin. She was ambitious and determined to be high queen, but she wanted passion too. They began a secret and torrid affair, even as her wedding to Alaric was being arranged. Rodwin begged her to marry him instead and run away with him, but she would not. He loved her so much he was prepared to take the crumbs she threw him. However, on the day of her wedding to his brother, she told him they couldn't continue their affair. Rodwin was filled with rage and threatened to expose their secret love. Lady Clarinda persuaded him to bide his time and promised, one day, both she and the throne would be his. He left that day to plot ways of overthrowing his brother. Returning briefly to the palace upon the death of his father, he stayed to witness Alaric being crowned high king alongside his beloved Clarinda. Rodwin began to doubt the new high queen's love for him and again threatened to tell his brother about their affair, but she vowed her heart still belonged to him. He told her he was raising an army in order to claim both her and the crown. Things did not go to plan, as almost a year later when he returned to wage battle, Alaric and Clarinda had recently been blessed with a son. The citizens of the Underground loved their High King, Queen, and newly-born Prince, and rallied to the defence of their royal family. Rodwin was outnumbered and his rebellion easily quashed. As punishment, Alaric decided that if his younger brother wanted a throne so badly, he would make him Goblin King. The High King used his powerful magic to bind Rodwin and his bloodline to the Goblin Kingdom for all eternity. He, and any heir he might beget and so on, would be cursed to remain there forever. We fae are long-lived, but we are not immortal and the desire to procreate is strong in our mid-years. However, the Labyrinth deterred others from venturing into the Goblin King's domain. None but you have ever successfully navigated it. As Rodwin could never leave his kingdom, aside from brief visits to the mortal realm, it seemed likely the curse would die with him. For a thousand years he ruled as Goblin King. Then one day, as he was celebrating claiming yet another wished away child, he drunkenly fell into one of his own oubliettes and broke his neck. That should have been the end of his sorry tale. Alas, there was to be no happily ever after for Rodwin, or the poor unsuspecting heir he left behind." Jareth paused to let out a wistful sigh. Sarah's eyes widened, confident she had worked out the plot twist. But given how annoyed he was to be interrupted before, she thought it best to let him reveal it. The Goblin King stopped in his tracks and glanced out across the River Thames to the heart of the City of London. "Your kingdom as great, hmm?" His voice had a distant quality as if he was thinking of another time and place.

Sarah knew exactly what he was recalling. "Why don't you finish your story?" She urged him. Despite time being of the essence and her earlier attempt to hurry him along, she wasn't eager for him to get to his marriage proposal.

Jareth again held out his hand to her and, seeing he was in need of comfort, Sarah took it. "One minute I was Prince Jareth, heir to the High King of the Underground. The next, I was cast out. The curse transported me to the Goblin Kingdom the instant my true father died. My younger brother Loric, as the actual son of Alaric, became his rightful heir. My mother Clarinda's attempt to buy Rodwin's silence regarding their affair had resulted in my birth. She swore to her husband that my father forced himself on her and she could never be certain I was his son. My fate was sealed, regardless. Despite being raised as Alaric's heir, I had been doomed to become Goblin King. My mother begged for mercy, but the man I'd called father refused to grant any. He insisted that the curse would remain in place until Rodwin's bloodline died out. In desperation, my mother confessed the truth of her affair with my father, she admitted she willingly gave herself to him. She hoped Alaric might be willing to punish her with exile instead. But my mother loves her life at court; the parties and the society, she would die without them. I couldn't let her lose all of that. Besides, I suspect my uncle knew the truth all along. He can forgive my mother but not Rodwin, nor me for being his son."

The sorrow in his expression touched her heart and Sarah impulsively threw her arms around him. "Oh, Jareth," she sighed hugging him tightly as he gratefully returned her embrace.

"I tried not to fall in love with you," he murmured against her hair. "When you wished Toby away, I had reigned as Goblin King for a thousand years, just like my father before me. Your victory could have hastened my end; you saw it in the dream I sent you. If I hadn't regained power over you, my kingdom and I would have crumbled to dust. But the memory of you put fire in my blood, it gave me the will to keep going and made me determined to one day claim you as my own. I thought I could be content to keep you as a slave to my desires, hence that first shameful offer I made to you. But when you rejected me for a second time, I knew my heart was already yours." He dropped down on one knee in front of her. Appropriately, their walk had led them into the grounds of the Queen's House in Greenwich, built as a royal palace for the wife of James I, as if he'd planned it that way. Sarah felt suddenly breathless, not believing for a moment it was real. The Goblin King was so handsome and could be very charming when he wanted to be. Part of her had fallen for him three years ago, even if it could be classed as nothing more than teenage infatuation at the time. Jareth gazed up at her with his odd eyes full of hope. "Be my wife, Sarah. Come and keep me company in my cursed existence. If you will, I promise to be your slave and vanquish Dracula forever."

The temptation to say yes overwhelmed her. It would be so easy to let herself get swept up in the tragic romance of it all. But, in the end, there was only one answer she could give and, in her heart, she'd known it all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone still reading this fanfic, I really appreciate it.
> 
> The Devil's In The Detail is quite a new song by a duo called Lewis and Leigh.


	13. Goodbye To You

Sarah opened her mouth to say what she knew she must, but the words wouldn't come out. Wasn't this what she'd always dreamed of in her dressing up clothes and her crown of paper flowers? She thought back to when she'd taken a bite of that drugged peach and the glittering white ballroom where she'd almost allowed herself to get lost in the Goblin King's arms. To save Toby, Sarah had realised she couldn't stay and keep on dancing, she needed to break free. But this time, with Billie's life at stake, she would have to make the opposite choice and go willingly.

The longer she went without replying the more anxious Jareth became. "Well?" He barked impatiently as he got up off of his knees.

It broke the spell, and Sarah remembered why she couldn't let herself get caught up in romantic notions. "It would never work," she insisted unable to meet his gaze. "I'm only eighteen years old, and then there is my family to consider." She paused to draw breath to make her argument. "Toby is already upset that I'm moving away to start college in the fall. Imagine how he'd feel if I went off to live in another world, he'd be devastated. It wouldn't be fair to my mom, my dad, Toby and Irene, or my friends if I vanished off the face of the earth." Daring to look into his stormy eyes, she now knew him to be intimately familiar with the concept of unfairness. Little wonder he'd been so short with her in the past over her basis for comparison. "I couldn't tell my family the truth about any of this, they'd never believe it." Sarah shook her head in despair at the impossible situation she'd found herself in.

"Your answer, long-winded as it was, sounded an awful lot like no." The Goblin King attempted to hide his disappointment but his despondent tone gave him away.

Sarah gave an apologetic shrug and sought to soften the blow. "No is too final a word and yes is too definite." After listening to his sad story, she had no wish to cause him further pain. If she were older with some life experience under her belt things might have been different. As things stood, answering his proposal with a maybe was the best she could do. "I guess I always thought I'd get married one day, but not yet," she explained. "I've never even had a serious boyfriend, for goodness sake. It doesn't mean we can't be friends though, does it? You could come see me whenever you're able and who knows what the future might bring."

Jareth decided she wanted to have her cake and eat it. His once hopeful expression changed into an angry scowl.

Sarah took a step back, fearful he might unleash something unpleasant on her as he had once before in the Labyrinth with the Cleaners.

"Have I not adequately explained my situation?" Jareth sharply questioned, his earlier accommodating nature gone. "Without the forging of a lasting bond between us, you can only visit my world on rare occasions and I cannot dwell for long in yours. The mortal realm drains fae of their magic. If I were to stay here more than a few hours, I would be weakened and perhaps damaged beyond all repair. I've already waited three years for you and I can be patient no longer. I want you by my side and in my bed."

Sarah blushed at his open desire for her but determined not to be intimidated. "What about your job?" She questioned. "We haven't even discussed that."

"My job?" Jareth's brow furrowed in confusion.

"I'm talking about stealing babies and turning them into goblins." She couldn't hide her distaste. It was the part of his life she had the most trouble with. How could she ever reconcile herself to it, much less, be expected to play an active role in the whole business?

"I only take what is freely wished to me, as well you know," he huffed. "I didn't choose this fate, but I'm bound by its rules all the same."

Sarah came prepared to negotiate with him, she wouldn't have wasted his time otherwise. She needed his help and he wouldn't give it without getting something in return. Marriage was too big a concession for her to make for the time being, but she still hoped they could find a compromise to suit them both. As terrible as she considered his job to be, he probably hated it as much as she did, if not more. It was a heavy burden to bear alone. "I'd be happy to offer you friendship and companionship. Even if we can only spend a few hours together at a time we can make them count, and maybe they'll add up to something more as we get to know each other better." She was undeniably attracted to him, but love needed nurturing to grow. Also, adjusting to the idea of becoming Goblin Queen would take some doing.

Jareth appeared to be mulling over her words when he made a sudden grab for her hand. The park had begun filling up with people eager to make the most of a sunny day and they were attracting unwelcome onlookers.

"Hey, not this again," Sarah protested as he swept her away.

In the blink of an eye, they materialised in thick woodland. Twisted tree branches surrounded them allowing only thin streaks of sunlight to pass through. The Goblin King had transformed back into his customary outlandish apparel, his earthy fashions discarded along with his good will.

"I thought you said you couldn't take me to your world," she questioned with alarm, being careful to avoid the lethal looking thorns on the branches around her.

"We are still in the mortal realm." Jareth's velvet tones poured into her ear making her jump as she didn't realise he was standing so close to her. "This place is a sort of threshold. It is closer to my kingdom and safer for me to dwell in while we converse." He might have been telling the truth but there was something predatory in his demeanour as he prowled around her.

Sarah found herself shivering in the shaded spot where they stood. Perhaps it was due to the cool air or it could be the uneasy feeling she had in her stomach. Either way, she preferred to carry on their conversation in familiar territory. "I would like you to take me back to Billie's house."

"Would you indeed?" The Goblin King sneered. "My precious one wants everything her own way. She is ungrateful for my generosity and expects me to be her slave." He loomed over her, bracing his weight against a tree branch behind her head.

She realised the depth of her folly in thinking she could ever bend Jareth to her will. "I'm sorry, this was a bad idea." Sarah remained determined to keep her poise as she had done when facing him down in the Labyrinth. Her green eyes blazed in an obstinate way as she sought to show him she would not be intimidated. "We will take our chances with Dracula and you need never concern yourself with me again."

The Goblin King's nostrils flared as he fought to hold in his rage. "I have bared my soul to you and told you my darkest family secrets. I've behaved honourably and asked you to be my wife. Do not imagine you can simply walk away, that I would risk losing you now," he hissed.

He had told her only a short while ago, that he wasn't far gone enough to take her by force. The wild look in his eyes suggested he might just have crossed that line.

Sarah tried not to let him see her apprehension. "I've offered you all I'm freely able to give. Why can't that be enough for now?" She asked as she pondered her escape route, not that she had the slightest idea where she was or how to get back to her friends.

Jareth snapped his fingers and thorny tree branches wove around the mossy circle where they stood. It would be impossible for her to break through it without an axe. "Females are fickle in their affections," he remarked his tone cold and cruel as he accused her and all of her sex. "My mother spoke of love and then she abandoned my father to his dreadful fate. Ladies and princesses flocked to my side when I was heir to the high throne, but not one of them tried to cross the Wailing Wastelands that surround my kingdom to see me, let alone attempt to solve the Labyrinth. Goblin Queen is not a coveted title, evidently. I bedded hundreds of the finest ladies fae high society had to offer." He gave her a withering look. "And they were all such rare beauties, the likes of which are scarce to be found anywhere else."

Sarah wanted to pretend his words didn't hurt her but she felt their sting. "If I'm so hideous why are you wasting your time with me? Send me back to my friends right now," she demanded.

The Goblin King maintained his haughty demeanour to hide the pain he felt from her latest rejection of him. No one had ever been as precious to him as she was. Those captivating green eyes of hers were matchless. She was the most alluring creature he'd ever beheld. To him, her fiery temper and imperfections were all part of her charm. "You want me to kill Dracula and you offer mere  _friendship_  in return. It might be good enough for the likes of Higgle, but don't I deserve to get more from the bargain than that?" Jareth closed in on her, backing her up against the sharp tree branches.

"Ouch," Sarah yelped as thorns poked through the thin fabric of her dress. "There's nothing mere about friendship," she insisted. "It's one of the greatest gifts one person can give another."

"You've read too many fairy stories, and all of them the wrong kind," he sneered.

The Goblin King pulled her into his arms and healed the scratches on her back with a touch of his hand. A shiver of anticipation passed through them both at the skin on skin contact. He pulled her into a firm embrace pressing their bodies together. The next thing she knew, he was leading her in a frenzied waltz. Her feet could hardly keep pace with him as he whirled her around the small circular patch of moss that was their dance floor.

"A thousand years is a long time for someone of my appetites to be denied his due," Jareth drawled as he inhaled her scent.

Sarah could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and from his smirk, she knew he could feel it too.

"I confess I've dallied with the occasional wood and water nymph, as they do sometimes find their way into my kingdom, but it's been a long time since I tasted the delights of a mortal woman." The Goblin King halted their dance and looked set to pounce.

"Please," she begged her eyes filling with tears. "Don't do anything that's gonna make me hate you. You're not like Dracula, you're not," she cried.

Her words seem to sober him and his expression soured. Jareth didn't relinquish his hold on her but he managed to get control of himself. She had aroused his passions to dangerous levels and he didn't want to hurt her. However, he feared his fae nature would get the better of him unless he let her go.

"Once again I have offered myself to you, and once again, I have been rebuffed." The Goblin King gave a weary sigh. "So be it."

Sarah filled with dread as she sensed he was about to leave her forever. Despite his most recent behaviour, she couldn't bear the thought of never seeing him again. Her tears threatened to spill and she couldn't prevent one from escaping. "It doesn't have to end this way," she wailed, her pleading voice no more than a whisper.

Jareth moved to kiss her cheek and capture her teardrop as it fell. "Yes, I'm afraid it does. Sometimes, we need saving from ourselves."

She clenched her eyes shut to savour the feel of his lips against her skin.

"Goodbye, my precious one," he murmured.

Before Sarah knew what was happening, she felt herself falling and the woodland around her faded away. Her scream of protest got swallowed up by the darkness.

* * *

Billie awoke with a gasp as if the air were being pulled from her lungs. Dracula's fearsome face interrupted her peaceful sleep, serving as an unwelcome alarm call. Tears stung at her eyes and she angrily dashed them away. Self-pity wasn't going to do her any good, even if she was entitled to feel a bit sorry for herself. With relief, she found she did feel rested, despite being rudely jolted out of her slumber. The clock on the nightstand told her it had just turned six in the evening. Billie couldn't remember what time she'd fallen asleep but it seemed like hours ago. All was quiet, and she padded over to the door attempting to tame her wild bed-hair with her fingers. Stepping out onto the landing, she came face to face with Jude. He halted and fidgeted awkwardly as he tried not to let his gaze linger on her for too long.

"I, um, I was just coming to check if you were up. Now I see you are so…" he rubbed anxiously at his stiff neck. Napping at the kitchen table had left him more aching than refreshed.

"I hope Sarah isn't mad at me." Billie cringed as she recalled her sharp words to her friend about the Goblin King. Although they'd parted on good terms, her friend's absence made her uneasy.

Jude's forehead creased with worry. "She isn't back yet." The last thing they needed was anything that would add to their troubles, but there was no concealing the fact Sarah had been gone for over five hours. "The Goblin King brought her back safe and sound before, and there's no reason to believe he won't do so again," he assured Billie when he saw how fretful the news had made her.

She nodded as the exhaustion she thought banished with her nap came creeping back over her. "We should try hypnosis again," she suggested with no enthusiasm. "Dracula is out of his coffin, I saw him in my dream. I awoke as if he'd commanded me to rise. I fear our connection is growing stronger; I can see him and he sees me." The idea she might be acting as an unconscious spy was of deep concern to her as it had been to her great-great-grandmother. The link went both ways and Billie knew she risked hindering as much as helping their cause.

Jude understood the need for caution, but he couldn't act as a one-man-army. He hoped Sarah would soon return with good news because, as much as he hated to admit it, things were looking bleak.

The hypnosis procedure seemed to be getting easier. Billie slipped into a trance after he made only a dozen passes in front of her eyes. She immediately sensed Dracula striving to block her and her attempts to ascertain where he was were met with fierce resistance.

"I see something," she exclaimed breathing hard with the effort of pulling the image into focus in her mind's eye. "It - It looks like a - oh, a travel brochure," she gasped.

Jude grew concerned about the toll the hypnosis was taking on her. On both of the previous occasions, she'd been able to maintain a degree of detachment. Watching her writhe around in apparent agony was too much for him to bear, and he resolved to bring the session to an end.

"No," Billie cried out as if she sensed his intention. "I can see it more clearly now. He has travel tickets, three of them, for the QE2."

Shrieking out in pain and clutching her head, she fell back onto the couch.

"Oh my God!" Jude leapt to her side and scooped her up in his arms.

Her eyes were closed and her body limp. He checked her heart rate and breathing and was relieved to find both steady. She remained unconscious for almost ten minutes and he feared the Count had somehow injured her internally. His joy was unconfined when her eyes tentatively opened. "For an awful moment, I thought I'd lost you," he gasped, his voice brimming with emotion.

Before either of them could process what had happened, they were locked in a passionate embrace.

After a moment, they broke breathlessly apart and Billie began tugging determinedly at Jude's hand. Her strength had returned double-fold and she pulled him up onto his feet with her. "Come, let's go to bed. I want you to be the one."

He allowed himself to be led to the bottom of the stairs. The temptation to give into their shared desire was strong. She wanted him and he wanted her, and if he'd been the spontaneous type who didn't overanalyse everything to death, he wouldn't have hesitated. Jude halted and turned to her with a pained expression. "We can't," he whimpered.

Billie planted an insistent kiss on his lips. "Why not?" Devilment had got inside her and it made her bolder than she would otherwise have been. "I don't have much time left," she stated without a trace of self-pity. "And what I do have, I want to spend with you." Her eyes pleaded with him to give in, and he almost did.

"No!" Jude wrenched himself free from her before he could succumb. "It's not that I don't want to, believe me, I do. I'm just not ready to give up on saving you." The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, but his honour wouldn't allow him to take advantage of her in any way. "Whatever we do now will be tainted by Dracula's touch."

Billie flinched at the reminder. "I'm unclean," she wailed.

"None of this is your fault." He gently cupped her face in his hands as tears spilt down her cheeks. "I've only known you for a few days and yet I can say, with all my heart, that I love you. I would do anything for you and I am honoured you want me to be your first and, I hope, only." Jude couldn't help feeling possessive, although it was scarcely appropriate in the circumstances. "When you are free of this dark shadow and can truly be sure of your own mind again, I promise I will not disappoint you a second time."

Billie sank down onto the stairs, she knew his reasoning was sound and yet she couldn't hide her dismay. "What if we never get another chance?" She couldn't stop tears of despair from falling.

"We will," he insisted, his jaw set firm with determination. Taking out his pocket handkerchief, he tenderly dried her eyes. "I promise we will find a way. We must."

She so desperately wanted to believe he was right. Good always triumphs over evil, she'd been told. Except a lot of good people usually die first, she mused. Sarah had already gone off to god-knows-where, possibly making a deal with her own devil. Jude was willing to give his life for hers, Billie knew it, but she didn't want him to make that sacrifice. She didn't want anyone to die in order for her to go on living. In light of the consequences for those she loved, she could only see one option open to her. All she required now was the strength to see it through.

* * *

Sarah felt warm and safe as she drifted slowly back to consciousness. In her half-awake state, her brain didn't register that anything was amiss. She yawned lazily as she adjusted her pillow and, to her surprise, found it was the old dinosaur soft toy she'd kept from her childhood. "What on earth?" She jolted to full wakefulness and glanced around. It was definitely her bedroom and not Billie's, or anyone else's. Jareth had sent her back home. How was she going to explain her sudden return to her family? Sarah leapt up and pressed her ear to the door; there were no tell-tale noises to indicate her brother's presence. Her clock read ten after five and she had no idea how long she'd been asleep. It had been one in the afternoon U.K time when the Goblin King arrived, and they couldn't have spent more than a couple of hours together. In order to get answers, she was going to have to face her family. But first, she needed to come up with an explanation that wouldn't make her sound crazy.

"Damn you, Jareth," Sarah grumbled repeating what was fast becoming her default curse as she paced the floor trying to think of a story her father and Irene would buy.

_"Sometimes we need saving from ourselves."_

His words came back to haunt her and she let out a growl of frustration. He'd sent her home to keep her safe from Dracula, she presumed. But he didn't care that by doing so, he would be depriving her friends of any assistance she could give them. What would become of her friend now? Oh God, what if Jude and Billie had reported her missing? Sarah slumped back down on her bed; what a mess the Goblin King had landed her in. Her eyes were brimming with hot tears but she would not cry over him. If he was gone for good, then so be it. She was better off without him, and all she had to do now was convince her heart of that fact.

Marching towards the door with fresh resolve, Sarah grasped the handle and yanked it open. She would think of something to tell her family. There wasn't a sound as she made her way through the house and it soon became evident no one was home. Letting out a sigh of relief, she remembered why it was so quiet; her family were in Florida for a couple of weeks visiting Irene's mother. At least she wouldn't have to explain her magical reappearance to them, but she did have to call Billie to account for her disappearance.

"Come on, answer the phone." Sarah stood clutching the receiver and imagining all kinds of horrors as she waited for someone to pick up at the other end. Just as she began to despair, she heard a familiar male voice.

"Hello?"

"Jude, it's me, Sarah." She didn't let him get another word in before she launched into an explanation of what had happened to her and where she was. "I hope Billie wasn't too worried about me. I mean, after the way we parted and everything. Is she O.K, can I talk to her?" The line fell silent and, for a moment, Sarah thought they'd been disconnected. "Jude?" She thought she could hear him sniffling. "What's going on?" Her heart started pounding in her chest and an awful feeling of dread crept over her.

"Billie - " he finally managed to utter, his voice breaking with emotion. "She's gone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is taken from the song Goodbye To You by Michelle Branch. Any readers who are also Buffy fans will know that song well.
> 
> Thanks everyone for reading/commenting/awarding kudos, and please do keep the feedback coming - Mrs P.


	14. Bat Out Of Hell

In The Blood

Chapter 14 - Bat Out Of Hell

Sarah was stunned to silence for a moment before recovering her voice. "What do you mean Billie's gone?" She inquired. "Gone where?"

Jude cleared his throat to try and regain mastery over his emotions. "We had some dinner and she seemed fine, I don't understand what happened next. I left her watching T.V while I cleaned up the kitchen. I called through to the lounge to ask if she wanted coffee or tea and there was no reply. She must have slipped out of the front door. I can't have been away from her for more than five minutes." He paused to shake his head in disbelief. "She left a note on the coffee table saying she was sorry and that she loved us all, but she had to go. Her car's outside so she's on foot. I searched the local area, hoping she wouldn't have had the chance to get very far. She could be anywhere by now."

"Why would Billie run off like that in the first place?" Sarah understood her being upset and confused, but to willingly hand herself over to Dracula when they might yet find a way to save her didn't make sense. Billie left without knowing the outcome of her meeting with the Goblin King. True, she'd failed to strike a bargain with him. But still, her friend's lack of faith in her hurt, even if it had ended up being justified. Sarah couldn't stop her anger leaking out. "Why couldn't she have held on until I got back?"

"You were gone for hours and we didn't even know if you were coming back," Jude explained, sounding sheepish. "It's not as if you were ever likely to return with a solution to this nightmare, is it?" He didn't mean to accuse her, she wasn't to blame for any of this, frustration simply got the better of him. It was agony to feel so helpless, for both of them.

Sarah was riddled with guilt. Jareth wanted to make her his queen and if only he'd been willing to wait, in all likelihood, she would probably have said yes to him in the end. She choked back a sob at the realisation. "I should have accepted the Goblin King's offer. I could have saved her," she wailed.

Jude gave a sad sigh. "Billie didn't want you to have to make any deals to save her. Besides, it's too late now."

"You don't think she's - I mean, she wouldn't, would she?" Sarah couldn't bring herself to give voice to her darkest fears.

"If she dies, she turns, and I don't think she would do it voluntarily," he said, although he couldn't be sure of anything anymore. "I'm going to go out and look for her again." He needed something to keep him occupied for fear he'd otherwise go mad.

"What time is it there, isn't it almost midnight by now?" Sarah forgot exactly how many hours ahead of New York London was in her discombobulated state. "You shouldn't risk going out on your own," she warned but her concern fell on deaf ears.

Jude was resolute. "During hypnosis, Billie saw that Dracula had three tickets for the QE2. He must be planning on taking her and his gypsy companion across the Atlantic. If I don't find her first, I'm going to get a ticket for that crossing." He couldn't abandon her, even if that's what she thought she wanted. "Take care Sarah, it was nice knowing you. Maybe we'll meet again in New York."

"Jude? Please, wait," she cried out in vain as he hung up the phone.

It would be tantamount to suicide for him to try and take on the Count alone. But he doubtless knew that and didn't care. If he lost the woman he loved, his will to live might die with her. Sarah slumped to the floor with her head in her hands. Everything had fallen apart so fast and it hurt double to know she could have prevented it. Next to Billie's dreadful fate, being Goblin Queen would surely be a cakewalk. Wiping away her tears, she realised she'd already made her mind up. It was only forever, not long at all.

"Jareth," she called out.

No response came.

"JARETH," she screeched his name again in desperation. "Can you hear me, you son-of-a-bitch?"

Once more, silence abounded.

Sarah punched the wall in frustration. It appeared she'd refused the Goblin King one time too many and he really wasn't coming back this time. Slumping to the floor again, she gave into despair and wept.

* * *

 

Before setting out again, Jude paused to gather a few weapons. He spotted the light-filled crystal ball Sarah had left behind and grabbed it. As he prepared to go outside, he heard the sound of a woman screaming. Throwing open the door, he saw Billie running towards him with a dark figure in hot pursuit.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I really wanted to spare you from all this. I - I just couldn't go through with it."

The creature, which resembled a giant bat more than a man, slashed at her with its razor-sharp talons. Fortunately, it missed by a whisker. It bounded twenty foot into the air as only a supernatural being could do, preparing to swoop down on them and attack.

"Get behind me," Jude instructed Billie as he reached for the glass orb in his pocket.

Once she'd moved out of harm's way, he smashed the crystal ball against the stone path. The glass splintered releasing the ethereal light inside. First, it danced around like a firefly and then it exploded in a blinding flash. Dracula dropped to the ground hissing and writhing as he morphed from a bat into his usual form. The Goblin King's magic appeared to be working and blocking the Count's powers.

"You will die for this," he raged as he lunged forward.

Jude had Jonathan Harker's kukri in his hand poised and ready to strike. High on adrenaline, he drove the blade deep into the vampire's shoulder. He was aiming for its heart, but Dracula's reflexes remained razor sharp, even when denied his nocturnal abilities. The shock of being stabbed halted the Count in his tracks. He growled in pain, showing off his deadly fangs. His eyes blazed with crimson fury and he recovered enough to advance on his prey.

"Come on, let's get inside the house," Billie shrieked as she tugged with urgency on Jude's jacket.

There wasn't a moment to lose and they sprinted towards the open door before Dracula could take his revenge. Safely over the threshold and breathing heavily, they turned back to face their foe.

"I'm sure you think yourselves so clever with your borrowed faery dust," the Count snarled, shaking with rage. "For all your plotting and planning, do you dare to imagine you could ever vanquish me? Do you have any comprehension of who I am? I, who have lain waste to entire armies and spilled the blood of countless foes, my name strikes fear into the hearts of weak mortals. For those who imagine they can defeat me, there is only death." He had been rattled by their use of Fae magic, but his all-consuming anger would not allow him to make a tactical retreat.

"My great-grandfather plotted against you and he lived to be eighty-two," Jude taunted, full of bravado after his recent exploits.

Dracula smiled so cruelly it made the young couple shiver in horror. "And where is your Van Helsing now?" He crowed. "I do not fear death, it is as nothing to me. I have lived and I have died, these are but transient states, as you, my dear, will soon find out," he promised, turning his evil gaze on Billie.

She grimaced in disgust.

The Count's temper had cooled sufficiently for him to be able to assess the situation with calm detachment. He surmised the sprite and his dark-haired pet must be otherwise engaged as they were yet to make an appearance. But after his recent brushes with Fae magic, he deemed it wise to err on the side of caution and avoid anymore unforeseen hazards. Where he was headed there would be no shortage of potential companions, he didn't need this girl. Mina Harker's great-great-granddaughter was but a pale imitation of the original, he concluded, his pride not allowing him to see her in any other way. When it came to the descendant of Van Helsing, he decided the same logic applied. Neither of them were worth his time or effort. It would be even sweeter this way, he realised with a wicked grin. His vow to those who once plotted against him had been fulfilled, his revenge now spanned over centuries. He still had time on his side. Turning back to the girl, he fixed her with a scornful glare. "For your ingratitude of the gift I have bestowed upon you, I hereby rescind the offer to make you my companion."

Billie feigned sorrow. "Oh no, whatever will I do?" Her mock distress turning into a sneer of contempt.

The Count moved as close to the invisible barrier separating them as he could, causing her to recoil in horror as he glared at her, a gleeful look of victory in his red eyes. "What indeed?" He jeered. "Even now, my blood flows through your veins. Will you turn and kill the ones you love, or will they strike first?"

His words caused her knees to buckle. Jude caught her in his arms and pulled her into a protective embrace. He stood in wide-eyed in horror as the reality of her terrible fate washed over him.

The Count affected an air of contrition as he addressed Billie. "How rude and ungrateful you must think me, for was it not your blood that restored me to this world? I vow it shall not be in vain. I will learn its strange new ways and make it mine."

"Do you think no one will discover what you are and stop you?" Jude boiled with anger at his arrogance.

Dracula cackled diabolically; his nocturnal powers had returned and he prepared to take his leave. "What place has superstition in this age of wonder and chaos? Men have built rockets and walked upon the surface of the moon. World leaders have weapons that could wipe human civilisation out at the push of a button. But speak of vampires and you will be considered a lunatic, that much has not changed since last I walked this earth."

The young couple before him clung to each other for comfort in their despair.

"What a tragic love story!" The Count lamented with mock pity. "Do not think me unmoved, I too have loved and lost." He sighed and with an actorly flourish he placed his right hand over his heart. "Parting is such sweet sorrow."

"You can go to hell." Billie snarled and slammed the door in his face.

"This time, I fancy, hell shall come to me," he proclaimed, his evil cackle fading with him into the night.

"What were you thinking?" Jude's anger erupted as soon as they got into the kitchen.

Billie was left gaping in shock at the force of his ire. "I - I guess I wasn't," she finally stuttered, breaking down in tears.

His fury swiftly evaporated as he took her into his arms; it was Dracula he was mad at, not her. "It's alright," he soothed. "All's not lost."

She gazed up at him with a hopeful expression. "Is Sarah back?"

Jude shook his head and guided her to a seat as he explained what had happened in her absence.

Billie listened in silence with her head bowed, her heart clenched at the loss of her dearest friend after so short a time spent together. "I'll miss her but it's a good thing she's back where she belongs, away from all this. That's why I decided to go to Dracula; I didn't want the people I love to be in danger or faced with impossible choices, but I was too weak to see it through," she cried.

"No," Jude protested. "You were right to come back. I meant what I said, it's not over yet."

He wanted to say more to give her comfort if nothing else, but the need for caution was paramount. Billie had been right when she expressed concerns about the danger of her unwittingly betraying them to their enemy. Her hypnotic vision of the tickets for the QE2 suggested that Dracula planned on sailing from Southampton to New York. He would have to make urgent enquiries about the date of the next Atlantic crossing and find out what he could regarding the particulars of the Count's travelling arrangements.

"What do you mean it's not over yet? We can't go after him. Even if we wanted to, we don't know where he is." Billie frowned.

She couldn't seem to remember the details of what had occurred during her last trance state. The attack she'd endured through her psychic link with Dracula had apparently wiped her mind of it. Perhaps the Count hoped to make her forget before she could tell anyone about what she'd seen. Jude knew he needed to proceed with extreme caution when it came to their own plans; she couldn't give them away if she didn't know anything. He wanted so desperately to offer her some hope to cling onto, but he had to play his cards close to his chest.

Jude took her hands in his and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Think of your namesake and what those who loved her undertook for her sake," he cryptically implored, hoping she would grasp his meaning. "It's of vital importance that you trust me implicitly and know that I only have your best interests at heart. We must speak no more on the matter for now. Pack a suitcase and be ready to leave at a moment's notice, but tell no one about it. I'll have to sort out a period of extended leave from the museum and take care of a few other things on my own. I wish Sarah was here to keep you company and distract you from your darkest thoughts, but it can't be helped. You should write a daily journal like your great-great grandmother did to note down your dreams and any details you think might be important. It will keep you occupied and might assist us," he instructed.

Billie frowned; she knew the history of how Mina Harker came to be freed from her taint. Dracula had been defeated, but the victory of those who rallied to her side came at the cost of Quincey Morris's life. "It's too dangerous," she warned tears filling her eyes. "I don't want to lose you."

"I can't promise no harm will come to either of us, but we have to take the chance." Jude tenderly tucked an errant strand of her hair behind her ear. "You and I both know what will happen if we don't."

Her bottom lip began to tremble as she recalled Dracula's cruel taunts. None of this was fair. "I should call Sarah," she said her thoughts turning to her absent friend. "I don't want her to feel bad for turning the Goblin King down. Neither of us should have been faced with such terrible choices."

"Don't give up hope," Jude beseeched her. "Your dreams may yet reveal a vital clue to us, and I can hypnotise you again. The Count can be defeated - our very existence is proof of that. We must believe we can find a way." The odds were against them, but his faith had been renewed in spite of it. Van Helsing never gave up and he wasn't going to either. Sarah would help them and she was already in New York. He and Billie could fly over there, ready to meet the QE2 when it docked. The logistics of manoeuvring the players into place was the easy part, it was the means of trapping and killing Dracula that eluded him.

Billie was exhausted and wanted only to sleep in peace. However, she knew there would be none for her, nor anyone else unfortunate enough to cross paths with the foul creature who'd put his mark on her, until he had been returned to the dust.

* * *

 

Sarah planned on getting to the airport with plenty of time to spare, but the traffic on the way into JFK turned out to be a bitch. It didn't help that she wasn't used to driving her stepmother's car. Irene's Ford Taurus proved more practical for an airport pick-up than the sporty coupé her mom and Jeremy gave her when she passed her test. Making her way through the heaving crowds, Sarah finally spotted Jude and Billie sat looking weary atop a stack of cases; they had her baggage as well as their own, thanks to Jareth's passenger only magic transportation service. "Hey," she waved to get their attention.

Billie appeared fragile with her wan complexion, but managed to rally at the sight of her friend. Having feared they might never see each other again, they embraced in a tearful hug. Jude stood awkwardly on the side-lines until they pulled him in to join them.

"None of that British stiff upper lip nonsense here, you're in my city now," Sarah teased.

The mood around them felt heavy with foreboding no matter how they attempted to lighten it with idle chatter. As Jude had already made clear that certain topics should be skirted around to exclude Billie from the particulars of their mission, there wasn't much safe territory for discussion. Twelve days had passed since the vampire put his mark upon her and his influence over her continued to grow. The necessary subterfuge added to the burden of worry about her changing state. Billie understood the danger of knowing too much and that the connection she shared with Dracula made her a potential double agent. Her father, stepmother and stepbrother had been intentionally kept in the dark regarding her situation. There wasn't anything they could do and she didn't want them involved in whatever happened next. Billie had been forced to leave home in the dead of the night without a word. As she didn't know when Jude would whisk her away, he wrote and posted a letter of explanation to them in her stead explaining her absence. He had carefully planned their journey and tried to anticipate every eventuality. After telling Billie that he needed to return to work for a few days, Jude had travelled to Southampton in order to find out if Dracula was definitely headed to New York. The more information he could gather about the creature's movements, the better. Leaving Billie alone and potentially putting himself in danger wasn't a risk he wanted to take, but there was no one else he could entrust with the task. After making some discreet enquiries, Jude had been able to discover that Dracula intended to travel under the alias of Count De Ville with Constantin as his manservant. He managed to ingratiate himself with some of the Dockers and heard tell of an unusual cargo of a heavy coffin sized box being loaded into the hold of the QE2. It appeared, although the vampire intended to travel as a passenger, he had prepared a contingency plan with his earth-filled box in case he was forced to seek refuge at some point during the crossing. Jude contemplated smuggling himself into the hold so he could corrupt the soil with the sacramental wafers he carried, but decided against it. The Count might have another secret plan if this one went awry and it would be better for Billie's sake, as the clock ticked on her transformation, if he sailed for New York on schedule. Jude returned to London and used his savings to buy two plane tickets.

"Thank goodness my family are in Florida until the weekend. This would've taken some explaining," Sarah said with false cheer, breaking the contemplative silence they'd lapsed into as they walked to the car.

It felt as if they were all treading on eggshells. Without further ado, they loaded the luggage into the trunk and onto the roof rack of the Ford Taurus before heading for Sarah's house. The stilted chat continued with Sarah mindful of not saying about what Jude had told her when they'd last spoken on the telephone. Dracula would be at sea for five days and he'd planned for him and Billie to get to New York one day in advance of the Count's arrival. He couldn't inform the police or customs of the cruise liner's villainous passenger, although the thought had crossed his mind. But he regarded it too dangerous to involve anyone who was not privy to, and unlikely to comprehend, all the facts. Billie knew only what she saw in her dreams. She continued to do as instructed and noted them down every morning upon waking. Her growing resistance to being hypnotised meant her mind was at war with itself and she could not consciously recall any information she revealed. Her sporadic trances indicated that Dracula had been sustaining himself on the voyage by drinking Constantin's blood. He did seem determined to be cautious and avoid unnecessary risks, which was good news for his fellow passengers. From Billie's dreams, it appeared as if he was finding the world he'd been reborn into a source of constant wonderment and had dedicated himself to catching up on all the things he'd missed out on.

Sarah tried to keep her focus on the road but her mind kept drifting to the inevitable battle ahead. She had been able to gather some weapons together, including her father's hunting rifle, his Bowie knife, and the revolver he kept locked in his desk draw at home. He would go ballistic if he knew what she intended to do with them. Hopefully, he would never find out and the business with Dracula would be concluded one way or another before her family returned from Florida. She couldn't imagine what tale she would spin them otherwise. But perhaps the Count would save her the trouble - she quickly banished such ideas from her head, she couldn't afford to think like that. Defeat wasn't an option, Sarah reminded herself.

At least all the planning for Dracula's arrival had kept her from dwelling on what happened with the Goblin King. More than once, she'd found herself pulling the draw of her vanity open, expecting her battered little book to be there. And then Sarah would remember The Labyrinth was gone, and Jareth along with it. Perhaps it was just as well he didn't answer when she'd called for him at the height of her desperation. After speaking with Billie on the telephone, she mused that her friend had been so happy she'd turned down the Goblin King's proposal, she must have done the right thing. But still, Sarah couldn't help wondering why he hadn't come back. The barn owl no longer peeked in at her from the poplar tree outside her window and her dreams were Jareth-free, even when she pictured him in detail before falling asleep. He'd asked too much of her but that didn't mean she wanted to banish him from her life forever. Sarah couldn't believe she would never see him again and it upset her more than she expected. How could life in black and white ever satisfy her after she'd seen it all in glorious technicolour?

Billie had reached a state of exhaustion by the time they reached the house. The travelling combined with the mounting effects of Dracula's poison in her body, had left her deathly pale. Her friends exchanged worried glances, but said nothing, they would need to wait and talk when she could not hear. Sarah got her settled in the guest room while Jude saw to the luggage.

"I fear I'm no longer entirely myself," Billie whispered, clutching at her hand with eyes red from fatigue, or maybe something else. There was an unsettling air about her as if she wasn't quite human anymore. She spoke calmly and quietly, despite the horror inherent in her words. "I'm going to end up killing or being killed, I know that."

"You should rest now," Sarah smiled to cover her unease as she smoothed the quilt down.

It took no time at all for Billie to fall asleep, and she heaved a sigh of relief. Jude awaited her outside the door and he peered inside with a pensive look on his face. The pair of them made their way down the stairs in silence, both too afraid to voice their fears.

"I managed to bring the kukri and the iron bladed knifes with me," he said assessing their weapons haul. "I didn't dare risk anything else in my suitcase besides the sacramental wafers for fear I'd get hauled away by customs."

"How long do you think we have before - you know?" Sarah gestured with an upward glance and Jude knew only too well what she meant.

He shook his head in despair. "Billie is becoming more and more resistant to hypnosis just as Mina Harker did. It pains me to say it, but when we face Dracula tomorrow, I'm not sure whose side she'll be fighting on." He drew in a deep breath and fixed his companion with an earnest gaze. "We are facing terrible odds, there's no getting around that. I hope you truly understand the severity of the situation and what you might be called upon to do."

Sarah gulped, it was one thing to imagine the possibilities but quite another to be faced with the reality. The idea of killing anyone made her feel sick to her stomach, especially if it ended up being Billie. When push came to shove, she didn't know if she would be capable of such a thing, even if it her own life hung in the balance.

"You don't have to put yourself through it," Jude assured her, reading the conflict on her face. "This is my destiny, I've accepted that and made peace with it. If I should die, I mean to take Dracula with me. But your devotion to Billie shouldn't make you blind to what you'd be risking."

Sarah nodded as she reflected on what he'd said. However, quitting wasn't in her nature and she didn't intend to start now. "Will I be safe if I stay?" She questioned. "What if you fail? I've been in the Count's clutches before, remember? And he won't stop, ever." Her mind was made up, no matter the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, apologies for the delay in updating, but there are only a few more chapters left and the plotting got complicated.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who is following this story, and big thanks to those who've taken the trouble to leave a review and award kudos.
> 
> The title is taken from Bat Out Of Hell by Meatloaf (of course!)
> 
> Thanks again everyone and please do keep the feedback coming - Mrs P.


	15. Don't Fear The Reaper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should warn those who might be upset by such things that this chapter contains violent scenes. I don't think I've gone beyond what's acceptable for a T rating, none of it is explicit, but expect horror.
> 
> During my research, I found a ruined mansion in Rhinebeck, Dutchess County, New York called Wyndcliffe (please do look it up if you can). This is the house I had in mind for Draakhal, which means Dragon Hall in Dutch.
> 
> Don't Fear The Reaper is a song by Blue Öyster Cult.
> 
> Thank you to all readers and reviewers. Please do let me know your thoughts on this, if you have any, thanks again - Mrs P.

Sarah thumped at her pillow in frustration, a glance at the clock told her it was almost three in the morning and she hadn't slept a wink. Every now and then, she would hear the stairs squeaking as Jude crept up them to check on Billie. Her friend had spent the afternoon in a deep slumber and she'd found it a real effort to rouse her for dinner. After a feeble attempt to consume a bowl of soup, Billie couldn't fight the constant weariness plaguing her and had to return to bed. At least she'd slept peacefully, allowing Jude, who was dog-tired from jet lag and everything else, the opportunity to get some rest. Left alone to ponder, Sarah had eventually retired to her room with nagging doubts that wouldn't be silenced. She couldn't leave her friends in the lurch, not when she'd vowed to stand with them come what may, but the knot of dread in her stomach wouldn't go away.

Most of her uneasiness centred around how much of their plans for the following day they would have to leave to chance. If all went to schedule, the QE2 was due to dock at the New York Passenger Ship Terminal around midday. With the crowds and customs security, they couldn't attempt to snare the Count at the port. Dracula expected them to be on his trail and would likely attempt to evade them at the earliest opportunity. The only way they could hope to keep track of his movements was through Billie and, to that end, Jude intended to hypnotise her the next morning. Everything about their strategy was risky, and once Dracula got ashore there was no telling what he'd do or where he'd go. The few scattered clues they'd managed to gather from Billie's dreams and previous trances offered a vestige of hope. She had become increasingly resistant to the hypnosis, but during Jude's last successful attempt, she'd heard Constantin speak to the Count about a place called Draakhal. Sarah had been shocked to hear that name again. A few years ago, her mother and Stepfather had considered buying a house in Dutchess County. The estate agent found a few properties in the area for them to view and Sarah had accompanied them. Along the way, she remembered catching a glimpse of a forbidding Gothic pile which the realtor informed her had been abandoned since the fifties. In its long history, it had been known by many names, and one of them happened to be Draakhal. If Dracula intended to make that decaying mansion his home, at least they would know where to find him.

The question of what might happen when they finally caught up with the Count was one Sarah hadn't wanted to dwell on. But as she laid in the darkness unable to sleep, she could think of little else. Thanks to occasional visits to the shooting range with her father, she knew how to handle a gun. However, it was one thing to hit stationary targets but she'd never tried or wanted to try shooting a living creature. She hoped it wouldn't come to that. Jude intended to deal with Dracula and he had weapons more effective for that purpose than a gun. The main crux of their plan rested on them being able to confront the Count during daylight hours when his powers would be at their weakest. If he evaded them until nightfall, the odds would swing back in his favour. He had to be vanquished for Billie to be free from his taint and they would make sure every trace of his ashes was obliterated this time around. He would not rise again. None of them had wanted to discuss what would happen if they failed. But as Sarah listened to the seconds ticking by, she couldn't help fearing the worst. When she'd said goodbye to her family, she never imagined it might be forever. It suddenly felt as if she hadn't seen them for an eternity and the urge to hear their voices again overwhelmed her. She decided she would call her mom, dad, and Toby, first thing, and tell them she loved them. If the worst should happen, she wanted them to at least know how much they meant to her.

The clock on her wall chimed four. She bought it because it resembled the one Jareth had taunted her with during her time in the labyrinth. It wasn't antique or anything but it looked old having been made in an arabesque ornate Regency style. Switching on her bedside lamp, she glanced around at all the reminders of her time in the Underground; the stuffed toys that resembled Sir Didymus, Ludo, and one of the Fire Gang, had pride of place on her dresser. The book end that looked so much like Hoggle held all her old childhood favourites in order. On her vanity, she kept the music box which had a miniature version of herself wearing the white ball gown from her peach dream inside it. Next to it stood the figurine which bore more than a passing resemblance to Jareth, although its features were nowhere near as handsome. For all her growing up, Sarah had never been able to bring herself to part with any of them. As she regarded each one of her precious possessions, in turn, it occurred to her that perhaps the time had finally come to make a break with the past. No good could come of hanging onto reminders of something she'd closed a door on. Jareth wasn't going to renew his offer to her, she'd made her choice and there was no going back on it. If she survived Dracula, she vowed everything that reminded her of the Goblin King would be banished from her life forever. But for now, she reached over and pulled her stuffed toy version of Ludo off the shelf. As she snuggled up to it, a feeling of peace descended over her and she finally fell asleep.

"Sarah, come on, get up."

She got jolted from her brief dreamless slumber to find Billie glaring down at her with a hard expression. It took a few seconds for her to come to her senses and in that time, to her relief, her friend's features softened and she began to appear more like her old self. It had turned eight in the morning and they needed to prepare for the grim task ahead. Jude had already begun making them breakfast and there was no time to linger. Sarah moved to get out of bed and her friend became tearful.

Billie bowed her head in shame, her face whiter than ever and her shoulders shaking from crying. "You must be cursing the day I came into your life," she wept.

Sarah grasped her hand. "Look at me," she commanded, forcing Billie to reluctantly meet her gaze. "I would have been lost without you. You're the best friend I've ever had, and if our roles were reversed, I know you'd have my back." She blinked away her tears, they were a luxury she could not afford when she needed to stay strong.

"I'm so sorry…"

"No." She cut Billie off before she could say another word. "There's nothing to apologise for. Do you understand?"

Her friend gave her a grateful smile and nodded as she gulped back her sobs.

Sarah walked with her to the door. "I just want you to remember, you are Wilhelmina Harker. You don't belong to Dracula and you never will."

* * *

 

Jude sighed with frustration; his numerous attempts to hypnotise Billie had failed and they needed to get started. Their plans had already started to crumble and they hadn't even left the house yet. Without any confirmation that Dracula was definitely headed for Dutchess County, they were left with the option of trying to pick up his trail from the port. The Count and Constantin could easily slip away in the crowd and they had no way of knowing what transportation had been arranged for them. Some form of van or truck seemed likely, with the box of earth and whatever else Dracula had brought with him, but the chances of them finding the right one were slim. It was over eighty miles from their current location in Rockland County to Draakhal or a mere thirty miles from Sarah's house to the passenger ship terminal. If Sarah was wrong about the house in Dutchess County, or if Dracula intended to go somewhere else altogether, they wouldn't have a clue how to find him.

Billie sat motionless in the fireside armchair and it appeared she'd fallen asleep. She hadn't been able to stomach any breakfast and only managed to sip grudgingly at a cup of tea. There had been some cause for alarm when she showed more interest in the blood trickling from the small cut Jude got from his shaving razor. The bleeding soon stopped and all was well again. But for a moment, he and Sarah had feared the worst. As the two of them debated how best to proceed, Billie's head snapped up from her slumber and she spoke as if in one of her trance states.

"Ha! Hell's Kitchen, indeed!"

"Billie?" Jude cautiously drew closer to her. "Where are you? What do you see?"

"So close now, he's so close," she cried out in an almost rapturous tone.

"Please, try and focus," Jude implored her.

Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she groaned from the effort. "There's a map on the table, I-I can't…" she gasped for breath.

"You must," he demanded, urging her on. He didn't want to cause her harm but they needed the information.

Billie seemed to be battling with herself. It was as if every word she spoke had to be forced out against her will. "I see it," she spat through gritted teeth. "Draakhal is where he's headed."

"Are you certain?" Jude questioned, not sure if anything she said could be trusted.

She nodded and then slumped forward in a faint as he swooped down to catch her.

Sarah hovered in the doorway, her eyes darting back and forth to the bag of weapons in the kitchen.

Billie moaned as she started to regain consciousness and soon she was herself again, allowing her friends to release the breath they'd been holding.

"Let's finish loading up the car and get moving," Jude instructed, forcing them into action so as not to dwell on the desperation of their situation. "We have a long drive ahead of us."

Sarah fetched a glass of water for her friend and finished making sandwiches for their journey. "Are we going to Draakhal then?" she questioned once Billie was out of earshot.

Jude took a deep breath and nodded.

It was a gamble, but one they had to take. Time was running out.

Before they left, Sarah placed two quick calls to her family. Her father, Irene, and Toby were about to visit Disneyland and were surprised to hear from her. She lied, telling them she'd been feeling homesick in London and just needed to hear their voices. At least she got to tell them she loved them. Her mother wasn't home, and Sarah had to leave a message on the answerphone. It was better than nothing, she reasoned, assuring herself it was only a precaution and she would see them all again soon enough.

* * *

 

The breeze was unseasonably cool for early July. The sky, blue and cloudless when they set out on their journey, turned grey with increasingly ominous black clouds hanging overhead. A few raindrops hitting the windshield quickly turned into a deluge as thunder rumbled in the distance. Sarah felt the beginnings of a headache and her eyes burned with the strain of driving with the utmost care and attention in hazardous weather conditions. At one point, they narrowly managed to avoid colliding with a truck and it seemed the roads were full of Sunday drivers. A few more close calls led them to believe the obstacles they were encountering in their path were more than coincidental. The stormy weather added extra time on to their journey, and they were more than an hour behind schedule when the sign for Dutchess County finally came into view.

Billie remained mostly silent as they travelled, her eyes often closing as if she'd fallen asleep. She would occasionally become animated, shouting out cryptic things which could have been the work of Dracula. Around the time when the QE2 would have been approaching the dock, she began waxing lyrical about man daring to set himself against nature. If they were the Count's thoughts, they betrayed the concerns of a stranger in a strange land along with his delusions of grandeur. As they neared their destination, Billie became visibly more alert and excitable. She bobbed about on the back seat trying to catch the first sight of Draakhal.

"We are here and he is coming!" She exclaimed, her dulled eyes now gleaming.

Jude and Sarah looked on with apprehension. Thankfully, she soon snapped out of her strange mood and returned to her usual self once more. Far in the distance, the sky had turned blue again but the storm still raged above them. Sarah found a sheltered spot to park the car so they could take some refreshment before continuing on foot. The three of them kept conversation to the essentials with none of them in the mood to chat. Their view out over the Hudson River provided an arresting enough distraction and they were grateful for it. Billie made a show of nibbling at a sandwich after concerns about her appetite, but she soon set it aside. As neither of her friends had much of a stomach for food, they didn't push the issue.

Further attempts at hypnosis failed and Jude grew even more dispirited. He tried not to show it, but the two young women could see it in his eyes. The storm had abated somewhat, although the skies remained threatening, and they put on their waterproof jackets and backpacks ready for the short trek to Draakhal. It didn't take them long to spot the crumbling mansion perched high up on a hill overlooking the Hudson. Its turreted towers jutted out above the mass of overgrown trees that surrounded it. The place must have a magnificent sight in its heyday, unfortunately, it had been neglected and left to fall into ruin. But even now, as a shell of its former self, it remained impressive with its high Gothic arches and ornamental brickwork. The rickety wooden fencing surrounding the grounds presented no challenge to pass through. Thick thorny bushes and tangled vines in what once must have been sculpted gardens proved more of a barrier to them as they battled towards the house. At least the overgrown shrubbery provided plenty of cover and places they could conceal themselves if needed.

As the hours ticked slowly by, Jude couldn't shake the uneasy feeling Dracula knew exactly where they were and that he intended to meet them after dark. Without any information from Billie via her hypnotic trances, they could only guess at where he might be. She felt him drawing closer, but the Count was wily. Now he likely knew a welcoming party awaited him, it was reasonable to believe he might stall his journey or even decide to go elsewhere. Jude occupied himself by finding out the best vantage points to watch the road. Sarah and Billie scouted out the house, finding the parts safest to venture into and identifying places they could hide. The east-wing had begun collapsing in on itself and the floors in the accessible areas were crumbling making it perilous to step on. The basement below could be seen through the timbers that had rotted away. It was difficult to estimate how far down it went but it looked to be at least a thirty-foot drop.

"We will need to be careful of more than Dracula and his accomplice," Jude warned as he joined them and peered into one of the gaping holes.

Sarah couldn't help but be reminded of the labyrinth, or more specifically, the oubliette, which she'd fallen into during her time there. "It's somewhere you put people to forget about them," she murmured to no one in particular, remembering what Hoggle had said to her.

Jude nodded his head, not having really heard her, and returned to watching the road but the summer foliage of the surrounding trees kept blocking his sight line. He was reluctant to venture too far away from his two companions, but Sarah promised to be on her guard. Concerned that he didn't have a decent view of all the possible approaches, Jude went in search of the highest vantage point he could find. Billie got overcome with weariness, and they found a dry sheltered spot in the ruins of what looked to have once been the dining room of the house.

She instantly fell asleep, but her slumber was fitful and she kept muttering unintelligible things. After a short while, she sat bolt upright, her eyes wide open and full of terror. "He will be here soon," she cried.

Sarah used the scope on her father's hunting rifle to scan the grounds, but she saw nothing to give her alarm. "Maybe it was just a bad dream?" She tried to calm her increasingly agitated friend.

"Oh God," Billie wept, "We're all going to die." She clasped her hands to her cheeks in despair." I've found my soulmate and we'll never get the chance to be happy together."

"Don't say that," Sarah angrily scolded her friend.

Fear made her regret her rejection of the Goblin King all the more. He could have spared them from all this and now it was too late. "I should have agreed to marry Jareth when I had the chance. There is no one else like him anywhere and I've lost him," she bitterly lamented.

Billie glared up at her with a contemptuous expression. "I knew you wanted to be Goblin Queen," she sneered. "Even after everything we've fought for, and are still fighting for, and you're sorry you didn't bind yourself to that faery for all eternity? How do you know you'll never find anyone else like him or better than him, have you ever tried?"

Both of them already knew she hadn't, no mortal man could measure up to Jareth. In truth, Sarah had been half in love with him from the moment she read about him in the playbook, even before they actually met in the flesh. She suspected she had too much of her mother in her to settle for a nice ordinary guy who could give her everything, except a life of excitement and adventure. "He was right," she began after giving out a weary sigh. "I wanted it all on my terms. What he was asking for was a big step and I wasn't ready to take it all in one go. I didn't want to leave my home or my family just like that. I mean, it's not as if I'd be moving to England, is it? I'd be living in another world with someone I barely know, although he's never felt like a stranger to me. I guess I didn't really believe he would go away and never come back. Ever since I wished Toby to him and even before that, he's been with me. I hate being without my book and him," Sarah admitted. She had always been resistant to banishing him from her life, and now she realised refusing him didn't make sense when she risked losing everything and everyone she cared about, anyway.

"Why don't you wish yourself to him if you want to be with him so badly?" Billie challenged her.

Sarah sniffed back her tears, angry enough to open her mouth and do just that when a loud thunderclap stole her breath before she could speak. A glance at her watch told her it was still early evening and a good few hours of daylight remained, nevertheless, the sky turned as black as night and the stormy weather returned with a vengeance. Jude scanned the north road with his binoculars and could see nothing. He refocused on the south road and saw a white transit van parked some distance from the rusty gates at the rear of the estate. Before he could warn the others, a pair of huge black dogs bounded through the trees towards him, snarling and snapping. The creatures were all spit, teeth, and fury, looking as if they'd been starved of fresh meat for far too long. Their eyes burned red and were bigger than those of any earthly breed.

"Get back, hellhounds," Jude hissed slashing the air with his kukri as a warning.

The dogs came to a halt, snapping and growling a few feet ahead of him. Upon hearing the commotion Billie got to her feet, and clutching the handgun she'd been given, she ran out of the ruined dining room towards the hullabaloo. Sarah made a grab for her friend's hand in an attempt to stop her, but she moved too fast. Readying her rifle, she intended to follow Billie, however, the sound of creaking footsteps behind her stopped her in her tracks. Her heart pounded with the hope she might turn around and find Jareth standing there. Before she could move, someone or something launched itself at her back. She was knocked off her feet and winded by the force of falling face down on the rubble-strewn floor. Scrabbling to reach the rifle she'd dropped and gasping to catch her breath, she squirmed under the weight of a heavy body on top of her.

"You ain't getting away this time, bitch," a gruff voice drawled into her ear.

It was Constantin. Sarah fought hard against him writhing in vain to get free from his hold. He flipped her over so they were face to face and he leered down at her bosom. The top buttons of the peach blouse she was wearing had come undone exposing her white bra.

He licked his lips in a lewd manner. "The master promised me a reward."

Sarah was sick with fear but she kept on fighting. Somewhere above them, they heard three shots ring out in quick succession followed by the sound of dogs yelping. The snarling and snapping started up again even more ferocious than before and another six shots went off. In the midst of it all, Sarah could also hear Billie and Jude intermittently shrieking with pain.

"Trespassers beware," Constantin smirked as he grabbed the waistband of her jeans.

With her hands now free, she pushed and clawed at him managing to scratch a deep groove into his cheek. He grunted in pain and slapped her hard across the face causing her nose to start bleeding. Dipping his head down, he lapped at the dripping blood making her retch. While he was distracted, Sarah grabbed the bowie knife she had holstered to her belt. Grasping the handle, she pulled it free and plunged it deep into Constantin's side. His face contorted in pain as he grabbed her wrist, squeezing hard to make her relinquish her hold on the blade.

"You'll pay for that," he hissed increasing his grip until she dropped the knife.

He nudged it out of her reach and wrapped his hands wrapped around her neck.

"J...Ja…" Sarah gasped as he squeezed mercilessly.

"Are you trying to call your little faery friend?" Constantin taunted as he increased the pressure on her throat cutting off her desperate attempts to summon help.

She ripped at his arms with her nails as she frantically tried to break his vice-like grip.

Somewhere nearby, a scream rang out. Billie and Jude defeated the hellhounds, but their evil master arrived close on their heels. Dracula leapt down from his perch on one of Draakhal's Gothic arches, lunging at the bitten and bloody pair. The force of being taken unawares knocked them both to the ground. Jude lost his hold on the kukri and the Count rained blows on him before he could recover it. Lightning lit up the sky and thunderclaps rattled the remnants of glass in the broken down mansion's many windows.

"I promised you death," Dracula cackled, "And death you shall have." With that, he viciously smashed Jude's head against the broken flagstones on the ground beneath him.

Knocked almost senseless, the young man met Billie's horrified gaze and she made a move to go to him.

"Stay," the Count commanded her as if speaking to a dog.

She let out a defiant scream and, using all her might, she launched herself forward. Before Dracula could react, she grabbed the iron-bladed dagger from her pocket and drove it deep into his back. He squealed like a wounded animal as Jude summoned all his remaining strength to recover the kukri. With a mighty effort, he swung the knife and chopped deep into the Count's neck. Blood bubbled up and out of the vampire's mouth as he hissed in fury, a look of disbelief in his cold blue eyes. One more strike separated his head from his body and both swiftly crumbled to dust.

Billie didn't realise she'd been holding her breath until she let out a sob of relief. Jude staggered to embrace her but he was too badly injured and he sank to his knees before crashing to the ground. She had no time to celebrate her freedom when the man she loved lay gravely injured at her feet. Billie cradled his bleeding head to her chest and begged him not to die. Someone needed to get assistance and she screamed out for help.

Sarah had got within a fingertip of reaching the Bowie knife as Constantin continued to throttle the life out of her. If she didn't reach it, she would die, and that realisation gave her one last burst of strength. Her fingers closed around the handle and she swung the blade, slashing at his arms until he loosened his grip enough for her to break free. Both of them scrambled to their feet as Sarah rasped heavily struggling to catch her breath. During their struggle, they'd rolled over to where the floor had crumbled exposing the basement below. The rotten boards beneath them started to crack and splinter. Constantin came at her, seemingly not knowing or caring how precariously they were positioned. Sarah drew back the knife, wheezing with the effort and slashed at him. He ducked to evade the blade, his manoeuvre causing the ground to shake. His eyes widened with alarm as the floor began to disappear from under their feet. Sarah made a desperate attempt to scramble to safety, but he grabbed her and held on fast as they both tumbled into oblivion. Constantin's head smashed against the flagstones of the basement like a ripe pumpkin, killing him on impact. Sarah heard her ribs crack as she slammed down on top of him, her fall barely cushioned by the broken body beneath her. Her breathing, already ragged, became even more laboured and she could taste blood. The world around her began to fade away as her heartbeat started to slow.

Sarah opened her eyes and saw a flickering light ahead in the darkness. Some unknown force compelled her to follow it. She slowly rose to her feet, surprised to feel no pain from her injuries. The candlelight beckoned her on and she surrendered to its irresistible pull. With every step, the dreadful realisation came upon her that she was dying. This was it - the end, and she wasn't ready. Sarah tried to turn back, but it was too late. The light engulfed her and she found herself falling again. This time, she landed on something silky soft. When her sight returned, she was shocked to find herself in a sumptuously extravagant bed, all dark silken sheets and fur throws with an exquisitely carved wooden headboard. The sound of groaning alerted her to the fact she had company, and the reflection from the floor length mirror at the foot of the bed revealed her companion to be none other than a very naked Goblin King. His modesty was barely covered, and the only thing he wore over his bare chest was his amulet. The nightstand next to the bed had been left cluttered with empty wine bottles and a silver goblet teetering precariously on its side. Jareth's eyelids fluttered and his bloodshot eyes opened. He gazed at her indifferently as if sure she was just another of his fevered dreams.

Sarah didn't understand what was happening to her. Why did she feel so cold? She leaned in and tenderly covered Jareth's lips with her own.

"I thought I'd never see you again," she shivered as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry I left you here all alone. I do love you, and I need you to know that." This wasn't real, it couldn't be. But if it was her brain's last attempt at giving her some peace, she would take it.

"Sarah," the Goblin King gasped, kissing her like he wanted to devour her.

She reluctantly broke away, "I have to go now," she said. Her time had almost run out.

"No," he cried desperately trying to hold onto her, but she had already started fading away.

She smiled, her green eyes full of sorrow. "Goodbye, my love."

Jareth got torn from his slumber by his own desperate refrain. "No, no, no," he shouted, before clutching at his sore head. He hadn't been sober for days and the mother of all hangovers hit him full force. Something was wrong with Sarah, his mind might have been foggy but he knew that much. Before he could talk himself out of it, he'd conjured up a crystal and began to look into it as hard as his stinging eyes would allow. The image came into focus and his body convulsed in shock. He dropped the orb and it rolled off the bed smashing against the hard stone floor as he emptied his stomach contents over his black silk sheets. "Oh no you don't, precious," he stated with defiance as he wiped the drool from his chin. "You can't escape me that easily."


	16. You'll Be Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have reached the penultimate chapter... Thank you to all who have made it this far. The reviews have dropped off so I'm assuming I haven't succeeded in making this story as enthralling as I hoped. That's a shame, but I've still enjoyed writing it. Thank you to all who awarded Kudos. Please do let me know your thoughts.
> 
> You'll Be Mine is a song by The Pierces - Mrs P.

Jareth materialised in the dank basement of Draakhal. The smell of mould invaded his nostrils and he wrinkled his nose with disgust. A significant portion of the floor above was missing, which provided enough light to see by without conjuring more. He clenched his jaw in anger at the sight before him. Sarah was lying with her eyes closed next to a scruffy looking male in a pool of blood, some his and some hers. Her dark chocolate tresses were matted up in it. The Goblin King recognised the man as the minion of Dracula. Rage overwhelmed him and with a wave of his hand, he obliterated every trace of Constantin's corpse with a flash of green fire. Without regard for his regal finery, he knelt down and scooped Sarah's broken body up in his arms.

"I will not mourn for you, my love," Jareth spoke softly in her ear as if she were only sleeping. "For I have no intention of letting you go."

She had somehow found her way into his dreams. It shouldn't have been possible, and yet she'd done it. By his reckoning, the strength of their connection gave him permission to do everything in his power to ensure they would never be parted again. Even dead, he could not take her Underground without consent. That fact rankled at him as much as the circumstances of her death. She was supposed to be safe at home, but he should have known better. It wasn't in her nature to run away from a fight, she was brave and heroic to the end; except this wasn't the end, not if he could help it.

"SARAH, WHERE ARE YOU?"

The desperate cries from somewhere above piqued his interest. It sounded like they belonged to the young woman who was coveted by the vampire. The Goblin King arched an elegant eyebrow as he plotted; he might get what he so desperately wanted after all.

"I hate to see you like this, my precious one," Jareth pressed a tender kiss to his beloved's blood smeared lips. "But it won't be for much longer."

Billie froze in shock as the Goblin King appeared before her with Sarah in his arms. He gently placed his precious cargo on the ground beside the limp and lifeless Jude.

"No, I can't lose her too," she howled, distraught at the realisation her friend was dead. "He's not breathing," she wailed, desperately clutching at Jude's hand. "I tried to revive him but he's not responding. Can you help? Please, I'm begging you."

Jareth gave the young man a cursory glance. "He's deceased," he indelicately informed her. "Exactly what sort of help were you expecting from me?"

"Sarah told me you healed a cut on her hand with a kiss," Billie gazed up at him with hope in her watery eyes.

He glared back at her. "One cannot simply kiss a corpse better." He condescendingly informed her.

She crumpled and wept with hopelessness. "I should have been the one to die, not them."

Jareth regarded her with disdain; she would get no argument from him on that score. Thankfully for her, the situation presented them both with a number of options. The Goblin King saw opportunity in her tragedy. He knew what he wanted and fate had provided him with the means to get it. He tilted his head contemplatively, his owlish eyes fixed on his sweet Sarah; she would be his.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Billie frantically questioned between mucus-filled sobbing.

Jareth was unmoved by her state of distress. "Perhaps," he said, without commitment.

"What's wrong with you?" She screeched, "I thought you loved Sarah. Can you bring them back or not?"

His innate haughtiness was undiminished, despite the pain that stabbed at his heart every time he gazed upon his beloved's pale and bloodied face. He watched the young woman weep and wail over her dead friends with growing irritation. Ostentatious human emotions bored him.

"They are both only a little bit dead, and I can work with that," the Goblin King informed her.

"Do it then, what the devil are you waiting for?" Billie snapped, too devastated to feel any fear of him despite his imposing presence.

"This infernal world drains my magic," Jareth complained. "I have it in my power to do one of three things, and you must choose which you would prefer."

"You want to play games?" Billie was astonished, "Now?"

She stared at him, horrified he would attempt to exploit the situation in any way. Whatever her friend saw in him she would never understand. Attractive he might be, but he was as inhuman as Dracula.

The Goblin King gave her an uncompromising glare. "The first option is that I could reorder time. Both Sarah and your young man would be resurrected, unfortunately, so would the vampire and his servant." He spoke the words with distaste. It was his least preferred course of action, and he wagered it would be equally disagreeable to her.

Billie grimaced; what good would it do to bring them back if the same thing happened all over again?

"You said there were three things, what's number two?" She inquired, glancing forlornly between her two slain friends.

"I could resurrect Sarah," he said. "I have enough magic to bring one of them back from the dead, and I choose her." Jareth wanted her alive more than anything, well, almost anything.

Billie looked down at the man she loved, her heart aching at the prospect of losing him forever, "And the third?" Her voice was no more than a whisper as she both dreaded his reply and longed for something to give her hope.

The Goblin King turned on the charm. "You could wish Sarah to me," he suggested, as if it was no big deal. "The magic of my world will resurrect and heal her. All I ask is that you forfeit your right to run my Labyrinth to reclaim her. No one but my precious has ever bested it, and you would be lost in there forever," he warned. "Do as I request and in return you shall be gifted with your heart's desire."

"You would bring Jude back to life?" She trembled with anticipation.

He nodded, "If that is your heart's desire. Simply make the wish and it will be done," he coaxed.

It sounded easy, too easy, and Billie was suspicious; she wanted both her friends back but wasn't sure what the true cost would be.

"Once Sarah is resurrected, what then?" She questioned. "Will she be able to come home?"

The Goblin King scowled. He was hoping she would be too desperate to consider the full implications of what he was asking of her.

"She will already be at home," he tetchily replied, "In my castle, with me."

Billie tearfully shook her head as she glanced at her dead friend. "I don't have the right to make that kind of decision for her." She wept as she pressed a kiss to Jude's bloodied forehead.

"You're the only one here, and if you want them both back from the dead, make the wish," Jareth demanded in frustration as he feared his chance to get what he truly wanted being snatched away. "Sarah will be loved and worshipped as none have been before her," he vowed. "She will be my queen and my kingdom will live to serve her."

The temptation was strong, and Billie wanted to give into it. After all, hadn't her friend declared her love for this creature only a short while ago? Even so, it was an agonising decision. She had to choose which one she could live without. Her choice would affect so many people's lives, it was a daunting responsibility. Another option presented itself in her mind and she felt a spark of hope.

"If you resurrected Sarah now she would beg you to bring Jude back too. Couldn't you bring them both back if you were able to replenish your powers in between?"

Technically, he could, but it wasn't as straightforward as she imagined it.

"Powerful as my kind are, there are limits to fae magic. A mortal may be brought back to life once only, and even then the body must be fresh. Both Sarah and Jude have sustained a lot of damage and the resurrection process will require a period of healing sleep. After that length of time your young man would no longer be a little bit dead, he would be quite dead." Jareth bluntly explained.

"So it can't be done?" Billie wanted to be certain.

The Goblin King frowned. "Alas, the human body decomposes so quickly. It is possible to resurrect a decaying corpse but not even fae magic can reverse the state of putrefaction."

She closed her eyes and lowered her head in defeat. "Sarah, please forgive me," she murmured.

Jareth bit back his smile as she made the wish. He twirled his wrist and held up a gleaming crystal ball.

"Goodbye Billie, and thank you," he said, preparing to launch the orb in her direction.

"Wait a minute," she cried, holding up her hand to halt him. "How on earth will I explain this to Sarah's family? They'll be heartbroken."

The Goblin King allowed himself a triumphant grin. "You will tell them nothing," he said. "From the second I grant your wish it will be as if Sarah never existed in this world. Aside from an occasional déjà-vu-sort-of-feeling that something important has been lost, no one who ever knew her will realise she is missing."

"No. Oh God, no," Billie clasped her hands over her mouth and cursed herself for what she'd done.

Jareth nodded, unable to contain his glee. "All trace of her will vanish and you and your young man will be returned to where you came from. The vampire won't rise again, you need have no fears on that score, but you will remember none of this."

"Oh, what have I done?" She cried.

He toyed with the crystal in his hands, rolling it under and over his palm. "Wishes are the most potent form of fae magic and they always come with consequences. All who are wished to the Goblin King become part of my kingdom if they are not reclaimed; that is simply the way things are done."

Billie bowed her head in shame; she'd been played for a fool. "Sarah won't forgive you for this," she warned.

Jareth shrugged. "Perhaps not, but she'll have plenty of time to get over it."

Again, he prepared to launch the orb into the air.

"Will I remember Jude?" Billie panicked; realising there was so much she hadn't considered.

The Goblin King smirked. "True love always finds a way," was his vague reply as he waved his hand dismissively at her accusations of unfairness.

He threw the crystal ball into the air where it exploded into a dazzling display of colour.

Draakhal was abandoned once more as the dark clouds above it burst, washing all traces of ashes, blood and glitter, away.

* * *

Jareth was in a pensive mood as he sat by the bedside. To his surprise, the goblins managed to follow his instructions. His vomit-soiled silk sheets had been removed and fresh ones put in their place. The empty wine bottles and other remnants of his mammoth drinking spree were gone. In their place, scented candles burned and vases of the sweetest smelling flowers his kingdom had to offer were scattered liberally around. Jareth would normally baulk at turning his bedroom into a ladies boudoir, but for Sarah he would suffer it.

She slept peacefully, her body healing and undergoing the transformation from human to fae. The magic of the Goblin Kingdom wove itself around her and she unwittingly soaked it up. With every second that passed she was becoming one of them. It could take three days or more for her to wake up. There was no way to be sure, and so Jareth kept his silent vigil. As much as he longed to see her green eyes open and full of fire once again, he was also wary of how she would react to her new circumstances. It occurred to him he should have prepared a suite of rooms for Sarah adjoined to his. But everything happened so fast and now he was reluctant to leave her side. Also, if he was honest, he hoped they would be sharing his bed sooner rather than later. Anything else was merely delaying the inevitable as far as he was concerned.

At three minutes to thirteen o'clock on the third day, Sarah awoke. Blinking and discombobulated, she caught sight of Jareth's odd eyes gazing down at her. There was much tenderness and possessiveness in his look.

"Welcome back, my precious one." He planted a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"I-I don't understand," she stuttered, growing tearful. "I was dying. Everything hurt and then suddenly, it didn't." She made to sit up and he rushed to assist her by propping pillows behind her head. "This room looks familiar," Sarah said, glancing around at the carved wooden headboard and the floor length mirror. Her reflection stared back at her and she appeared different somehow, although she couldn't put her finger on what had changed. She was positively glowing with health and vitality. It certainly didn't look as if she was on her death bed.

"You are safe now, my love," Jareth reached for her hand and placed a soft kiss across her fingers. "All's well that ends well."

Sarah fell silent, her brow furrowing as she puzzled over something.

He wanted to savour the moment of having her back with him before there was need of explanations. But as usual, she intended to thwart him.

"How did I get here? Am I even here at all? Oh God, is this heaven?" She was struggling to make sense of it.

Jareth chuckled and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Believe me, Sarah, when you are ready, willing and able, I'll make you feel like you're in heaven."

She blushed, and certain parts of her heated up for other reasons under his smouldering gaze. Fidgeting nervously with the edge of a midnight blue silk sheet, she was overcome with further mortification at the realisation she must be in the Goblin King's bed. Groaning, she checked to see what attire he'd conjured up for her this time. The nightdress was ankle length white satin and not too risqué, although the way it clung to her body left little to the imagination.

"What is it, my darling?" Jareth questioned with alarm, fearing she was somehow in pain.

"I'm fine," Sarah waved away his concerns as she decided against getting out from under the sheets. "I mean, I'm not dead, obviously, but I still don't know what I'm doing here. How did I get from that foul basement at Draakhal and into your bed? And I want the whole truth and nothing but the truth." She fixed him with a suspicious look. Something told her she wasn't going to like his reply.

The Goblin King sprang up from his seat and stood with his back to her deliberating how much to reveal. Perhaps it was better to get it all out in the open in one go, he mused. She could never leave him now, so he need not fear losing her again. But he couldn't bear to have her hating him, either.

"Jareth?" Sarah felt an increasing sense of dread with every second he kept silent.

He slowly turned to face her. "You were dead." He sat down next to her on the bed. "You came to me in a dream to say goodbye, do you remember?"

She had a vague recollection, but when she closed her eyes it was Constantin she saw, throttling the life out of her. Instinctively, she touched her neck, it wasn't sore and it didn't look bruised in the mirror. She reached for Jareth's hand, surprised to find he wasn't wearing gloves and laced her fingers with his. He caught the tears she shed and turned them to sapphires as he'd done once before.

"You healed me?" Sarah gazed at him, full of wonderment and gratitude.

"The magic in my kingdom did," he said as she threw her arms around him.

"Thank you," she gasped, breathing in the exotic scent of him.

A delicious tingling sensation coursed through her. She felt wild and uninhibited in a way she'd never experienced before. Her desire for Jareth burned and she began kissing his neck.

His resistance was low and he briefly considered obliging her. But he knew if he was to stand any chance of gaining her good favour, he couldn't take advantage of the heightened state of arousal caused by her fae transformation. He extricated himself from her amorous attentions, to their mutual disappointment.

"Before we succumb to our passion, I must tell you all that happened today. You would never forgive me otherwise, and I do so hope you will be merciful." The Goblin King's earnest demeanour sobered her and she listened intently as he explained.

"Billie wished me away to you in return for Jude's resurrection?" Sarah frowned with confusion. "But I can go home again, right? You're not gonna turn me into a goblin, are you?"

Jareth took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. "You are already one of us, my precious one. The past three days while you slept and healed, your body has been absorbing magic. It is all around us here in the fae realm and you are in the process of change."

"Into a goblin?" She questioned with alarm.

He chuckled. "I intend to make you Goblin Queen, but you are becoming one of my kind not theirs."

Sarah was overwhelmed; she inched closer to the mirror and studied her reflection. There was a certain luminescence to her skin, she'd noticed something was different before and now realised that's what it was. It was the same kind of pale radiance Jareth exuded.

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "The mortal world was not worthy of you," he spoke to their mirror image before coaxing her to turn and face him. His lips sought hers as he lowered her down against the bed.

She was too dazed to resist as he kissed and caressed her. Her body responded to his touch even if her mind was otherwise engaged. He sensed her disconnection and eased back.

"I know all this has come as a shock to you, my love. But this is your home now and I will endeavour to make it a happy one. I will be your slave, as I once promised, and I shall do everything in my power to please you," Jareth vowed.

Her lips began to tremble. "What about my family and friends? Can't I visit them, or go and say goodbye at least?"

The Goblin King let out a weary sigh and moved to put some distance between them. "It would do no good," he said as he averted his gaze from hers. "Humans who become part of the goblin kingdom are erased from existence in the mortal world. It is the way the magic of the wish works. It will spare those who love you there from grieving your loss."

"What about me?" Sarah angrily protested. "I haven't forgotten them." She pictured Toby and the way he used to make her laugh by pulling silly faces. Tears stung at her eyes and she threw herself face first into the pillows and wept.

Jareth attempted to comfort her but she shrugged him off.

"You got what you wanted, didn't you?" She bitterly reproached him. "I hope you're happy, because I'm not and I don't believe I ever will be again."

"You'll feel differently in time," he assured her. "We have many mortal lifetimes ahead of us and your pain will fade."

Sarah shot up to face him. "Has yours?" She threw him an icy challenging glare as he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "When you told me how you became Goblin King, you sounded pretty pissed off about it even after a thousand years. I bet I can stay mad at you for a lot longer than that."

Jareth was rankled by her words and he glowered back at her. "I make no apology for what I've done," he said. "I warned you that the mortal world was dangerous and I tried to keep you safe, but you went looking for trouble and found it."

"Why wait until I was dead before you came riding to my rescue, huh?" Sarah verbally jabbed at him. "You threw a tantrum because I wouldn't marry you right away and then deposited me back home without my consent. I bet you were planning this all along, or at least hoping for the opportunity to trap me, isn't that so?" The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she became.

He smarted at her accusations; it wasn't as if he could deny seizing the advantage when he had the chance. Even so, he'd been more generous than she knew and it was about time he enlightened her.

"How like you to rail against the unfairness of it all," Jareth sneered, which only served to vex her further. He hissed at her to hold her tongue as he was not done speaking. "I heard you call for me after I returned you to your home. I sensed your desperation and your intention to bargain yourself away to me to save Billie's life. Would it have been more acceptable for me to take advantage of that situation? If I'd answered your call then and taken you, would you have been any happier about it than you are now?" He omitted to report his state of extreme inebriation at the time and the fact he was still sulking after her rejection of him.

Sarah bit at her lower lip as she considered this new information. She had wondered if he'd heard her call and why he'd not come to claim her. He was right, she would probably have regretted her rashness, but it was marginally better than having the choice taken out of her hands altogether.

"This is my life," she raged, "I don't blame Billie for making the wish, but I do blame you for granting it."

The Goblin King did not blink. "If not for my intervention your family and friends would have been left heartbroken. You and Jude would be dead. Is where you are right now really so bad in comparison?" He knew she wasn't that selfish.

She sighed and thought about how her death would have devastated her family. At least they had been spared the pain of loss, even if she hadn't.

"It should not have been possible for you to enter my dreams and yet you did. Fate meant for us to be together, Sarah, and we will be for many years to come so you'd better get used to the idea." Jareth's magnanimity had reached its limits long ago and he turned to leave.

She got up off of the bed taking the silk sheet with her to cover her nightdress. "It doesn't mean I have to like it," she huffed.

"I suppose this means you'll be requiring your own bedroom," Jareth wearily stalked to the door.

"Damn straight," Sarah replied, outraged that he expected anything else.

He conjured a crystal and held it up. "Do you have any requests for what it should look like?" He inquired, still attempting to please her despite her harsh words.

She contemplated the matter for a moment, tilting her head to one side. "A Goblin King Keep Out sign for the door would be good," she sniped.

"You go too far, precious," he cautioned, with a glint of danger in his mismatched eyes.

Sarah thought about how he'd imprisoned Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus. He professed love for her but she'd already paid dearly for it.

"I guess it should be a room fit for a Goblin Queen," she sighed with resignation.

Jareth broke into a smile, pleased she seemed to be coming around to the idea. The orb in his hand began to glitter and glow as he launched it at the opposite wall, "As you wish, my love."

 


	17. Forever And For Always

Sarah gazed out over the labyrinth from the window in her bedroom. The sky was a fiery blend of colour against the setting sun. Part of her recognised the place as her home, no matter how much she wanted to deny it. Her transformation from human to fae would take months to complete and Jareth warned it would be overwhelming at first. Her appetite for everything, especially pleasurable things, increased. The Goblin King ordered the kitchens to prepare her sumptuous treats in an attempt to sate her food cravings; particularly things rich in cream, as it was like catnip to the fae. Sarah would not allow him to satisfy her carnal desires. It was driving them both crazy, but she was determined not to give in. Her virginity was the only thing he hadn't yet taken from her and that strengthened her resolve to hold onto it.

Gazing over at the gnarled oak desk tucked into the corner of her spacious room, Sarah sighed at the pile of books that sat atop it. Mastering magic was tricky for those not born to it. Years of practice and study would be required, unless she developed a natural aptitude for it. Jareth would be her teacher. But first, he expected her to read all the dusty volumes he had delivered to her room via various goblin servants. Being a bookworm, it was a task she would normally relish. Unfortunately, she wasn't yet at ease with becoming fae. It felt like her body was at war with itself as new abilities flooded her senses. She fought desperately to hold on to some vestige of her former self.

At the end of her first week in the Goblin Kingdom, Jareth arranged for her old friends to come and visit her. It was a thoughtful gesture and he was trying so hard to make her happy. Sarah wanted to feel grateful for the many kindnesses he'd bestowed on her, but was left begrudging the need for them. Seeing Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus again, only served to highlight how changed she was. Instead of helping her to reconnect to the girl she used to be, she felt awkward and uncomfortable in their company. They treated her with the deference due to a future queen and far from balking at it, Sarah found she liked it. As with the goblins, she'd taken a firm hand with them from the start, leaving them in no doubt as to who was in charge. Changing into a fae hadn't killed her kindness, she still cared about their wellbeing, but she now possessed an instinctive sense of superiority over them. It was initially unsettling and upsetting, as not since her younger bratty years had she considered herself above anyone else.

The Goblin King insisted they take their evening meals together in the dining room. The table was long enough to comfortably seat eight down each side, although it had never accommodated more than its present complement. Traditionally, he would sit at the head of the table with his queen taking the seat at the opposite end. But as they were not yet married, and because he preferred to keep her close, she was placed directly next to him.

Sarah hadn't seen Jareth since he'd left her that morning to catch up with her friends. It was evident, on their reunion; he expected to find her in high spirits. As it was, her melancholy mood upset and annoyed him. After sitting in sullen silence for the best part of twenty minutes, he drained and slammed down his silver wine goblet.

"Tell me about your day, precious," he growled. "Did my surprise not please you?"

Sarah kept her eyes fixed on her plate as she poked unenthusiastically at the fruit platter on it.

"It was a sweet gesture," she said without feeling. "Thank you."

Jareth snatched up the wine carafe to refill his goblet. Things were not going as he expected them to and it irritated him beyond reason. He preferred her anger and spiked barbs to her current moroseness.

"I have another surprise for you," he announced, "But considering the success of my last one, perhaps it would be prudent if I were to throw it in the Bog of Eternal Stench instead," he huffed.

Sarah reluctantly met his gaze; the idea of another well-meant deed filled her with dread. His mismatched eyes were harsh as he glared at her, but she could see the hurt behind them.

Reaching for his hand, she smiled mischievously. "How about you give it to me and if I don't like it, I'll throw it in the Bog of Eternal Stench?"

His displeasure melted away as she appeared to be her old self once more. Chuckling softly, he conjured up a small rectangular package covered in shiny cloth and tied with a silver ribbon. It glinted enticingly at her and she carefully opened it. Her eyes widened as the small book inside was revealed.  _The Labyrinth_ , she ran her finger slowly over the golden lettering.

Satisfied that she was pleased with her gift, the Goblin King explained how he'd created a duplicate copy of the enchanted tale for her to keep. Awaiting an expression of gratitude, he fixed her with an expectant gaze. A myriad of conflicting emotions raged inside her. It made her think of her baby brother and the wish that ended up sealing her fate.

"I shall transport us to the bog once you are done toying with your dinner." Jareth wearily informed her as he despaired of ever doing anything to make her happy.

Sarah broke down sobbing. "I don't know who I am anymore," she wailed. "The person I was last week no longer exists and I've got nothing left from my old life to anchor me. My family, my friends, all my personal things; they're all gone. I can feel myself changing into someone I don't recognise and I want it to stop, I want to be me again." She turned to him, her green eyes brimming with sorrow as she grabbed at his arm in desperation. "Please," she begged.

The Goblin King detached himself from her grasp and got up from his seat. "Done is done and cannot be undone," he curtly informed her.

Two goblin servants crashed through the door carrying a large silver platter. Noting their monarch's sour mood, they hurried to the table to set their burden down before making a swift exit.

"I have no stomach for anymore of this." Jareth waved his hand dismissively as Sarah continued to weep into her napkin.

"You should have left me in that basement in Draakhal," she snarled, her temper rising over his unfeeling attitude to her situation. "I would rather be dead than stuck here with you."

Letting out a heavy sigh, the Goblin King sorrowfully bowed his head. It was early days yet, he reminded himself. Acceptance would come eventually and then she would be glad for what he'd done. The love she kept locked away her heart for him would be released and then they could be together in every way.

"I will never be sorry you're not dead," he murmured as he reached to comfort her.

Sarah let him pull her into his arms. In that moment, she needed solace, even if the one offering it was also the cause of her misery. She drew back slightly, so her doleful sage eyes could meet his odd blue ones. "If only you could have been unselfish and killed Dracula when I asked you to, I would have come here to you when I was ready." It hurt that he never trusted her enough to make that decision for herself.

"You're multiple rejections taught me to be cautious." Jareth was unapologetic as he tenderly dabbed at her tears with his own napkin. "I made no secret of what I wanted from you. The king of the goblins did fall in love with the girl and he kept on loving her, even after she left and broke his heart."

Sarah didn't really wish she was dead. In her most desperate moments, her instinct had always been to call on him for help. It was her choice to go with Jude and Billie to face Dracula knowing it could be at the cost of her life. At least this way, she was the only one who had to live with the consequences. Her damp cheek was pressed against Jareth's chest and she breathed in his unique bewitching scent. No matter how resentful she was of his actions, her body could not help but desire him. It was a heady mixture of the side effects from her fae transformation and her pre-existing attraction to him.

"If there was some way you could restore to me what I've lost, I would be happy and so very grateful," she began nuzzling his neck.

He groaned with pleasure as her tongue laved teasingly over his skin.

With horror, she realised this manipulative side of her nature wasn't the Sarah she knew. Once again, she was made aware of the changes going on inside her. Maybe these facets of her personality were always there, but the metamorphosis seemed to be bringing out the worst in her.

"I'm sorry," she abruptly pulled away from him. "I do want my old life back, but not this way. This isn't who I am or want to be," she lamented.

Jareth bristled with annoyance. "You assume too much," he sneered, "Firstly, that I could restore your old life and secondly, that I would ever strike such a bargain."

"You can reorder time, can't you?" She questioned, he was a powerful creature as her reading into fae magic as well as personal experience, told her.

"My ability to do so is much restricted in the mortal realm," he confessed. "The most I can manage is thirteen hours, and no more."

"So you could have done it when you came to Draakhal?" Sarah felt cheated all over again. "You told me Billie wished me away to you; did you even tell her there were other options?" She gave him an accusatory glare.

"What a low opinion you have of me," Jareth was wounded. "If you'd applied yourself further to your books, you would have read about the limits of fae magic. I gave your friend three options and she chose the third. Reordering time would have resurrected you and Jude, but would also have restored your foes. With my powers drained, I wouldn't have been able to prevent you from dying all over again. My second option was to resurrect you as I could only bring one person back from the dead before exhausting my abilities. The third was to use the power of the wish to save you both, as it is the most potent form of fae magic. Billie made her choice. She forfeited her chance to run the labyrinth in favour of her dream, which was to have Jude restored to her."

"Did she know her wish would effectively wipe out my existence?" Sarah inquired, feeling resentful that anyone, especially someone she cared deeply about, could do that to her.

"Not until after she made it and I informed her of the consequences, just as I did when you asked for Toby to be taken away." Jareth gave her a severe look. "Humans," he sneered with derision. "And you accused me of being selfish. The favour of a fae is never bestowed without the expectation of receiving a token in return. That is simply the way things are done."

"So I'm a mere token, am I?" She huffed, "A bargaining chip?"

He reached out and tenderly stroked her face. "You are the love of my life," his words were heartfelt as he ran his finger over her lips. "I cannot be sorry that I brought you here or that you are unable to ever leave me."

Sarah sighed as she covered his gloved hand with her own. "I can only hope one day I'll feel the same, or it will be a long and miserable life for both of us."

* * *

After hours spent wandering through the castle and around the gardens, Sarah wearily returned to her rooms. She told Jareth she needed some time alone and he was respecting her wishes, although she suspected he was keeping tabs on her somehow. Glancing at the pile of books she'd been resisting reading, she plucked a random one from the pile. It was titled  _'Rudimentary Magic for Young Fae'_ Sarah shrugged, guessing she fit into that category. Getting comfortable on her sumptuous king-sized bed, she turned to the first page.

So far, Jareth had only given her one cursory magic lesson, warning it might take years for her to master even the basics. Along with summoning up crystal balls, dressing herself by using what he termed as a 'thought-robe' was the first thing he hoped she would conquer. It was the way the Goblin King changed clothing, by imagining the outfit he wanted to wear and conjuring it up. Sarah had been provided with an actual wardrobe full of clothes for the interim. He would also dress her using his magic if she allowed him.

The book she was reading continually stressed the importance of self-belief. Sadly, it was something she was feeling a little short on. Slamming the volume closed, she drifted into a fitful slumber. Her dreams were full of people and places from her former life and Sarah woke up crying. Thumping her pillow in exasperation, she kept on pounding at it until it burst in an explosion of white feathers.

"I can't go on like this," she sobbed. "I wish I could see them, even if it's for one last time."

At the thought of her family and friends, she felt a strange itching sensation begin in the palm of her right hand. Before she fully realised what was happening, a perfect crystal ball materialised there. Gasping in shock, her eyes grew wider still as a picture began to form in the glass. Sarah focused in as the image became clearer. "Toby," she cried with joy at the sight of him running around the garden with one of his little friends. Irene was watching him from the kitchen with a proud smile and she could see her father reading his newspaper at the table, just like he always used to. After observing them for a while, she found that by shifting the focus of her thoughts, she was able to summon up the image of her mother and Jeremy. They were working on their play together and sharing a joke, looking as if they didn't have a care in the world. All those she held dear appeared to be happy and healthy. It made her heart ache for a moment because they weren't missing her, but she wouldn't wish to shatter their contentment by having them grieve for her.

Sarah wiped away a tear and focused on visualising Billie and Jude. The picture in the orb swirled into a milky fog before clearing once more. Her friend was… "Oh my," she squeaked in surprise, dropping the crystal ball onto the bed as if it burned her hands. It seemed Billie and Jude had taken their relationship to the next level. Sarah was mortified to have caught a glimpse and even worse, it made her feel she was missing out. She only had to say the word, she knew that, and Jareth would happily oblige her. More like he would be ecstatic, she snorted at the notion. It gave her a measure of peace to see her friends and family carrying on as normal in their different ways. Life would go on, and they would all be okay, she assured herself.

Emboldened by her success in conjuring a crystal, she set her mind to magically repairing the burst pillow. As she concentrated, the feathers blew up around her, swirling in the air like snowflakes. But her attempts to direct them back inside the cotton casing failed and she ended up scattering them all over the place. Sarah collapsed in a fit of giggles. To her amazement she was actually enjoying having magical powers, even if they weren't exactly cooperating as they should. For the first time in a long time, she felt lighter and surer of herself; as if she'd released a weight she didn't even realise she was holding. It didn't mean her pain was forgotten, but it was a start.

Her thought-robe efforts resulted in her being dressed in an X-rated leather outfit. Sarah groaned with mortification and then fell about laughing. She put it down to a combination of overconfidence in her new powers and erotic thoughts about Jareth. Her raging hormones made her long to run to his room and let nature take its course. Forcing herself to search for something more conservative to wear, she pondered her situation. There were definitely worse places to be and the idea of becoming Goblin Queen was growing on her. Perhaps the time had come to embrace her new life and everything that went along with it. Her friends and family didn't need her any longer. Of course, they would be devastated if they knew what they'd lost, but as it was they would all do just fine without her. There was someone who needed her, though. He loved her desperately, of that she was sure, despite being selfishly motivated at times.

It took Sarah a while and the help of a goblin, to locate Jareth. He was scribbling away at the desk in his private study. It was early afternoon and sunlight was pouring in through the circular window on the far wall. She hated to disturb him when he appeared so engrossed. Preparing to tiptoe out and leave him to it, she jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Please, stay," he begged, his words full of quiet desperation.

When he turned to face her, there was such sadness and loneliness in his countenance, Sarah couldn't bear it. Running to his side, she flung her arms around him.

"Billie warned me you would never forgive me. I thought I could bear anything as long as I had you by my side, hating me or not." His words were muffled by the fabric of her dress as she held him close, but she heard.

"I don't hate you." She assured him, planting herself firmly in his lap.

Jareth reached up and swept an errant strand of hair away from her eyes. "I wanted you close for so long and now you're here, it feels like you've never been further from me."

Tentatively, she leaned in and brushed her lips against his. "What about now," she teased, pressing a more lingering kiss to his lips. "Does that feel distant to you?"

There was surprise in his odd blue eyes and hope as he gazed back at her. "You forgive me then?" He asked, his breath hitching with anticipation.

Sarah was coquettishly playing with his hair, winding a blond tendril around her little finger. "Yes," she said, somewhat uncertainly, and decided to try again. "I do forgive you, even if I can never forget. It's tearing us both apart to keep going on the way we have been. I've decided to embrace my new life, and you," she smiled as she leaned in for another kiss.

Jareth couldn't hide his joy as he plundered her mouth with enthusiasm. It was clear he wanted to go further, but he was holding himself back.

Losing her nerve for a second, Sarah dropped her eyes to the desk to avoid his searing gaze. It wasn't that she didn't want to move things to the next level with him, but fear of the unknown gave her cause to slow the pace. Idly glancing at the parchment on his desk, she realised he'd been writing a letter. "I'm sorry, I interrupted you," she said indicating towards the paper.

He didn't care about that, nothing else but the feel of her in his arms mattered.

"Pay it no mind, my precious one, it can wait for another time," he said, noting with curiosity that there were black smudges on her white blouse. It was then he saw his un-gloved hands were streaked with ink. "I'm afraid I've made you all dirty," the Goblin King confessed.

"Excuse me," Sarah exclaimed, not aware of what he was insinuating until his eyes indicated towards the fingerprints on her top. "Oh," she giggled, "I was going to take it off anyway," she said, giving him a coy smile.

"You were?" His eyebrows arched.

She nodded slowly and suggestively, "After you've told me why you're writing to your mother. I thought you had no contact with your family." It spoiled the mood somewhat, but once she saw who the letter was addressed to, she had to ask about it.

His expression was pained for a second, his lips pressed together in a tight line. "I have been ruminating on what you said regarding my lingering bitterness about my situation. You were right, it is time I stopped railing against my fate. Besides, having you here by my side makes it all so much easier to bear." He took her hand in his and kissed it with gratitude and devotion. "Hoghead is going to personally deliver the scroll. He has a sister in the capitol he's been longing to visit," he explained.

Sarah smiled; glad to know he too was striving to make a fresh start. There was uncertainty in his eyes and vulnerability he rarely let show. With her new fae boldness, she sprang to her feet and tugged at his hand.

"I'm ready to, um, take off my blouse now," she chuckled at the euphemism and he did likewise. Through hooded eyes, she fixed him with a heated gaze. "Please Jareth, take me to bed."

He didn't need to be asked twice.

* * *

Things got easier, Sarah discovered, just as Jareth promised they would. Occasionally, he would glimpse a wistful faraway look in her eyes. But she was truly happy most of the time. Sarah was proving exceptionally adept at manifesting and controlling her magic. It was as if she was born to it, so natural were her abilities. Her biggest thrill came when she discovered she could transform into a raven. To be able to fly through the air and soar above the trees gave her such a rush. After chasing Jareth through the sky in his owl form, and being chased by him in return, they would land in his bedroom, which also became hers, and make wild passionate love. Their sexual appetites happily turned out to be well matched, insatiable as they were for each other.

Jareth was eager to formalise their union. But hope remained in the back of his mind that his mother might respond to his correspondence. It wasn't as if he needed the blessing of his family to marry Sarah, however, some acknowledgement would have been nice. Mabon came and went and, accepting no scroll would be forthcoming, he determined they should wed by the next ceremonial feast at Samhain. Sarah was agreeable, but expressed regret that neither of them had any family to witness their marriage. They had the goblins, he reminded her, as if she could forget, and they'd grown as fond of their queen-to-be as she had of them. There was also Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus, whose company she came to cherish once more.

Sarah occasionally used scrying crystals to look in on her family and friends. It became an addiction she couldn't bear to give up. For her own peace of mind, she liked to see them happy. Jareth knew how she still longed for them. As Samhain approached, an idea occurred to him. Her transformation to full fae was almost complete, but at that time the veil between worlds would be thin enough for her to pass through, regardless. There was something he could do to restore a vestige of her old life. He realised she would be as angry he'd kept it from her until now, as she would be happy. In truth, he believed telling her about it sooner would only have increased her misery. However painful it proved to be, Sarah needed to come to terms with her fae transformation and everything that went with it before a link to her past was restored. He knew she'd been terrified of losing her identity in the process, but he's assured her she would always be herself, first and foremost. Perhaps it was cruel of him to deny her such knowledge, except he didn't think so. Nothing could have been done until Samhain in any event. This way, she was able to embrace her new life and accept facets of her personality which became more dominant with her emerging fae powers.

As Sarah enthusiastically devoured her dessert of strawberries and cream, Jareth the time was right to divulge the information he'd been withholding.

"Would it please you if Billie and Jude could come to our wedding?" He inquired.

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I don't understand," she gasped, "How would that be possible?"

Jareth drew out a breath before speaking. "I cannot restore the memories of your blood kin. The magic which erased your existence would start to unravel if they remembered you. It would be cataclysmic for your world and mine as time itself would be torn apart. I do not have the power to fix such a rupture. But your friends are a different matter. I can bring them here at Samhain and their memories of you would be temporarily restored. It would only be for a short time, as they would forget you again the moment they returned to their own world," he explained.

Sarah used her napkin to dab away traces of cream from her lips as she absorbed his words. In place of anger, she felt only sadness and resignation. As close as she thought they were, he still kept secrets from her.

"It would be good to see them again," she admitted, swallowing her hurt.

Jareth reached out to take her hand, but she snatched it away.

"You are upset," he acknowledged, "I understand."

"No," she said in a soft voice, "I don't think you do. If you understood you would respect me enough to be honest with me, even when honesty causes me pain."

He nodded. "From this moment onwards I vow to do as you ask. I love you with every fibre of my being and I would do anything to spare you pain, but I see in doing so I have only succeeded in hurting you further. It seems I must beg your forgiveness yet again, even though you have already been more generous than I deserve." His penitence was deeply felt; she could see it in his strange and beautiful eyes.

Glancing down at the table, Sarah regarded the remains of her dessert. Cream was something she never really cared for as a human and now she consumed it with orgiastic delight. She had only discovered two things that gave her more pleasure. One was experimenting with her developing magical powers and the other was experiencing carnal delights with Jareth.

"Love makes us do all kinds of crazy things, like forgive those who keep repeating their mistakes. I can't measure everything I've lost against everything I've gained, it wouldn't be fair." She noted him quirk his eyebrows at her words. "And yes, I do have a reasonable basis for comparison now," she argued. "All I know is I'm no longer sorry you brought me here and I would not wish to leave, even if I could." Clasping his hand in hers, she pressed a kiss to it. "I do believe our story will have a happy ending after all."

* * *

Jude was in zoologist mode as he attempted to make a careful study of one of the goblins. The little creature pretended to cooperate, before making a grab for his glasses and scurrying off with them. Sarah witnessed the whole incident and froze the errant critter in mid-flight.

"The only thing you need to know about goblins," she warned, "is that they are not to be trusted."

He retrieved his glasses and continued to gawk at his surroundings. "I can't believe this place, even though I'm here," Jude gasped in wonderment.

Billie wasn't unaffected by the fantastical surroundings, but her concern over her friend's welfare took the shine off it all. Her apologies over the wish she'd made were profuse and heartfelt.

"Are you sure you're happy?" She questioned for the hundredth time.

Sarah gave her a fond smile. "Yes, truly I am."

When Jareth led her across the veil into the mortal world, she'd first requested a glimpse of her family. He was reluctant, fearing it would only cause her upset, but she insisted. Seeing Toby from afar dressed up as a pirate for Halloween, did cause tears to spring to her eyes, but she was glad he was having fun. Sarah used her magic to fill his candy bucket with his favourite peanut butter cups. Taking Jareth's hand, she allowed him to transport her to Billie's house. After her recent experience with Dracula, she wasn't at all surprised to find her friend refusing to participate in trick or treating, or any other Halloween traditions. Jude was with her and both of them grew wide-eyed with disbelief as the Goblin King and his wife-to-be materialised before them. One exploding glass orb full of glitter later, and their memories were restored.

Billie couldn't help but laugh when she saw Jude being told off by an irate dwarf.

"I ain't some curiosity," Hoggle grumbled as the young man offered profuse apologies for his scientific interest.

Sarah joined in the merriment when she saw his reaction on being introduced to Ludo.

"Dry old bones and dusty display cabinets are a poor substitute for the wonders this world has to offer," she noted in regard to Jude's job at The Natural History Museum. "You could always wish each other to the Goblin King - and Queen," she added in a cajoling tone, remembering her imminent coronation.

Billie frowned. "I'm glad you've found happiness in this place, but it's not for me," she replied. "All I ever wanted was the chance to live a normal life and now Dracula's gone for good, I've got it. I've got Jude too and I couldn't wish for anything more." She smiled and reached for her friend's hand. "I think if you were honest you'd admit that an ordinary life was never going to be enough for you."

It was true; they were very different in that respect. Sarah glanced over at Jareth as he attempted to be a good host and engage Jude in conversation. Billie had fallen in love with a decent down to earth kind of guy, who was also more at home with normality, whereas she loved Jareth and his world of magic and mischief.

"Yes, you are right," she conceded. "One way or another, I think it was always going to end this way."

Before they could proceed with the wedding, the Goblin King noticed a swan circling in the sky above the labyrinth. Swooping down low, it touched ground and in doing so it transformed into the figure of a stunning elegant older woman with flowing silver hair.

"Mother," Jareth gasped, forgetting propriety in his shocked state.

"Hello, my son," High Queen Clarinda kept her regal bearing but her greeting was warm. "It is good to see you."

The Goblin King dipped into a low bow as he introduced his companions, who curtsied and bowed as appropriate. His mother acknowledged them with a slight incline of her head. In her hand was a scroll and she held it out for Jareth to take. His eyes grew wide as he broke the seal and read the contents.

"A royal pardon?" He questioned when he found his voice.

"You will remain Goblin King, but you and your queen will be welcome at court any time." Clarinda explained. Turning to Sarah, she beckoned her to step forward, her eyes twinkling in a fond way, "My son informs me you have stolen his heart."

The soon-to-be Goblin Queen nodded. "I must confess, it's true," she said. "But I gave him mine in return, which I believe was a fair exchange."

The High Queen smiled, "Quite so, my dear."

Jareth and Sarah were married surrounded by love and good wishes. Together they ruled honourably and wisely as they grudgingly earned the respect of fae across the land. Sarah was able to slowly let go of her mortal ties as time passed and she had a family of her own. Jude and Billie never returned to the Goblin Kingdom; they married and lived long contented lives with their children and grandchildren. Once in a while, Sarah would feel the need to recall where it all began. Taking  _The Labyrinth_  book Jareth gifted her from its protective case; she was always gratified upon reading it, to find, against all odds, it ended so happily.

**The End.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's that. I wrote and rewrote this final chapter a number of times and was never truly happy with it. There's a feeling that I've thrown everything and the kitchen sink into it and possibly over-egged the pudding. I could have gone on indefinitely and would probably never have been satisfied with it.
> 
> Anyway, THANK YOU all for reading and supporting this fanfiction, it's been one hell of a journey! Please do let me know your thoughts, constructive feedback has always been invaluable to me.
> 
> The title of the chapter is taken from Shania Twain's Forever and For Always. - Mrs P.


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